December 10, 2018 |
Over the weekend, the Pre-Fall tour headed back East. It was time for Shanghai where Coach celebrated their 15th anniversary in China with a show that merged their Western heritage with their new Eastern tendencies. Blending the stories of two vibrant, metropolitan cities – Shanghai and New York – the show was a colour feast, Coach’s 1970s rock’n’roll vibes reconstructed and put back together in a totally fresh way. Perhaps it was the fact this was their first ever catwalk show in China, where a story we all know and love was given a totally new context. The brand’s signature powerful leather outerwear, floral maxi peasant dresses and truly desirable bags – it was Coach eleganza extravaganza that went straight from the catwalk to our shopping list.
A unique aspect of the collection were the collaborations with contemporary creatives based in China who transformed Coach’s dinosaur mascot Rexy. Sui Jianguo created a T-Rex sculpture which was later photographed in order to create a distorted photo print, while music collective Yeti Out incorporated the icon into their signature graphic round face. Ink painter and abstract artist Zhu Jingyi and graphic artist Guang Yu also both created totally new prints out of the dino figurines which Stuart Vevers then incorporated into ready-to-wear and accessories.
When they announced their Pre-Fall show will be taking place in Shanghai, it was clear Coach had their eyes on this expanding region spending more and more money on luxury. But now after the show, it’s obvious this wasn’t just a business move – with a collection paying its homage to the China of today, Vevers opened the brand’s doors to the a whole new world. Next destination? Who knows, but it will surely be fabulous. It is Coach, after all.
Photographs by Kevin Tachman.
