Coach
Alexander Wang
April 20, 2020
Diane von Fürstenberg
April 20, 2020
Current Creative Director: Stuart Vevers
Coach was founded in 1941, run by a family of leatherworkers who made wallets and billfolds. After Miles Cahn and his wife Lillian joined and eventually took over the company in 1950, they discovered innovative ways to improve the softness and durability of leather. They expanded lines in both men’s and women’s accessories, hiring sportswear pioneer Bonnie Cashin in 1961.
Her innovative designs over the next 10+ years revolutionized the leather goods industry and brought Coach to the forefront of American leather goods. In 1985, the Cahns sold the business to Sara Lee Corporation, a large American consumer goods company. In 1997, American designer Reed Krakoff was hired as creative director, and transformed Coach from the relatively small company that it was in 1985 into the world-renowned brand that it is today, generating $5 billion in sales by 2013.
After the departure of Reed Krakoff in 2013, British designer Stuart Vevers was hired to lead the creative direction, launching a ready-to-wear line for the first time. Since his tenure, he has redefined American luxury, establishing Coach as a major fashion force with legions of fans amongst fashion editors, street style influencers, and the growing millennial fashion scene.
Current Creative Director: Stuart Vevers
