It started quietly.
Maybe you spotted it on TikTok — a creator showing off their vintage Tabby bag with grainy filters and the caption #Y2Kaesthetic. Or maybe you saw Lil Nas X in a bubblegum pink COACH look, walking the Met Gala like he owned it. Or a friend mentioned they’d bought a COACH purse because it felt “nostalgic but fresh.”
Somehow, somewhere along the way, COACH became… cool again.
According to parent company Tapestry’s latest financial report, Coach’s sales rose 11% YOY to $1.7 billion in Q2 FY2025, accounting for 78% of total group revenue — making it the only brand under Tapestry to post growth.
For a brand long seen as your mom’s go-to for practical leather goods, this comeback is nothing short of remarkable. COACH never claimed to be a luxury fashion house. It wasn’t flashy like Gucci or ultra-minimal like The Row. It called itself a leather craft house — proud of its heritage, but not exactly on the mood board of Gen Z fashionistas.
So, what changed?
Let’s unpack how COACH pulled off one of the most unexpected glow-ups in recent fashion history — and what every e-commerce brand can learn from it.
Instead of chasing trends blindly, COACH doubled down on campaigns that tapped into feelings. Their “In My Tabby” campaign, for example, wasn’t about showing off the bag. It was about showing what it means to carry something — emotionally and literally.
They told real, personal stories. Stories of ambition, anxiety, freedom, and family. Suddenly, COACH was no longer just a brand — it was relatable.
Their tone shifted too — less polished, more personal. Think documentary-style videos, short-form content for TikTok, and campaigns that felt like journal entries, not ads.
Celebrity partnerships weren’t new for COACH. But the way they used them became sharper.
Instead of chasing only Hollywood A-listers, they picked cultural figures who resonated with younger audiences: Lil Nas X, Camila Mendes, Dove Cameron, and K-pop stars. These weren’t just pretty faces — they were icons of self-expression and identity.
Even better, COACH allowed these personalities to bring their own story into the brand — it wasn’t about slapping a logo on them. It was about collaborating on a narrative.
COACH didn’t throw out its history. It embraced it — but with a twist.
The iconic Tabby bag came back, reimagined in soft pastels, puffy leathers, and fun, compact silhouettes. It was vintage enough to feel nostalgic, modern enough to feel stylish.
They understood a key truth: Gen Z doesn’t hate the past — they love remixing it. So COACH gave them tools to do just that.
Other product tweaks followed: bolder colorways, oversized hardware, smaller crossbodies, and gender-neutral styles. Craftsmanship remained central — but now it had edge.
Rather than leaning into traditional fashion week flashiness, COACH’s runway shows began to feel more like cultural moments than product showcases. Think less about shock value, more about storytelling with style.
One standout moment? Their Fall 2023 show in New York, staged in a library and styled like a vintage film set. The looks were wearable, nostalgic, and emotionally resonant — blurring the line between art and commerce.
Then came Spring/Summer 2025, where COACH took its iconic kiss lock purse and blew it up — literally. The oversized accessory was playful, surreal, and instantly viral. It was a clever remix of brand nostalgia and runway-ready drama — proving that even a heritage house can have fun while staying on-brand.
The message was clear: COACH knows where it came from — but it’s not afraid to push the edges of where it’s going.
COACH knew it had to show up where its audience actually lives: online. Their digital transformation wasn’t just about pushing product — it was about pushing culture.
They embraced TikTok trends. They created lo-fi content. They reposted user-generated content and let creators have fun with the brand, instead of tightly controlling the message.
At the same time, COACH quietly overhauled its entire visual identity online — from campaign creative to PDPs — creating a cohesive and elevated look. As seen in the screenshot from their website, every image now feels unmistakably "COACH" — stylish, editorial, and instantly recognizable.
But here’s the catch: rebuilding a consistent brand presence at scale isn’t easy. That’s where solutions like dipp’s creative automation come in. With branded layouts and bulk-production features, brands can efficiently apply their new visual identity across marketplaces, social media, and CRM — without exhausting internal resources. In an age where aesthetic is currency, COACH created a lookbook that felt owned by the internet. With the right tools, any brand can do the same — just faster.
COACH’s comeback wasn’t magic — it was strategy, executed with consistency and empathy. Here are 4 takeaways for EC brands:
Be clear about your brand’s identity — but not rigid.
COACH never stopped being about craft, but they found new ways to express it.
Emotion > product.
Tell stories that tap into real experiences. Your product should be the supporting character, not the star.
Remix your past instead of reinventing the wheel.
Heritage can be an asset — especially for younger generations who romanticize the early 2000s and 2010s.
Let your visuals evolve — fast.
Your brand needs to look as agile as it feels. Visual storytelling should reflect what’s trending, but still feel like you.
COACH’s comeback shows the power of brand consistency + creative evolution.
Whether you're launching a new collection or refreshing your brand story, dipp helps you scale visual content that feels personal — not generic.
References:
Bella Hadid’s Favorite Coach Bag Is Nearly $200 off on Amazon
Tapestry Expands Stake in Eco-friendly Leather Partner Gen Phoenix
From ‘mom bag’ to ‘it bag’: The reinvention of Coach | Jing Daily
How Coach Became Cool in 2024: A Brand Architecture Case Study
The Resurgence of Coach - The Miami School of Fashion & Design
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