Coach Has Left the Building

“Coach has lost its mind,” a good friend uttered as we passed the Coach store on Walnut Street.  I agreed, sadly.  The window was dotted with gaudy, logo-laden handbags loaded with shiny hardware.  They looked like cheap souvenirs.

Coach had been a sophisticated staple of my life for decades. The hallmark of a Coach bag had always been rich colors, with impeccable construction featuring sturdy brass hardware and luxurious leathers that grew lovelier with age. Coach bags were never trendy; they were simple, elegant styles that complimented both casual and working wardrobes.  You never worried about them going out of style or going with everything.  Buying a Coach bag was an investment, the purchase of a quiet status symbol. The classic Coach was the best-designed handbag, built to last a lifetime.

I bought my first Coach bag when I was 26 and it was my constant companion for years.  Over time I accumulated a few more, including an oversized tote in British Tan that was used daily, usually stuffed to capacity.  (I had to do shoulder strengthening exercises at the gym to carry it comfortably!)  It eventually became my carry on for in-flight entertainment, food and necessities. 

Some would use the word “opulent” to describe the new designs; I use the word tacky.  Some of the contemporary Coach bags look like scenes from a bad acid trip.  Are these collections for adults or children?  Candy colors.  Shiny, noisy, inelegant.  Over-logo’d.  I saw a $298 backpack on the Coach website that was made of printed denim canvas.  I will accept nothing less than leather at that price.

I’m clinging to my classic Coaches and plan to have them buried beside me.  Most of these bags are no longer in production and can only be found on eBay or in consignment shops.  Recently I’ve seen a few 20-somethings with vintage Coach bags hanging from their shoulders.  Maybe they raided their mothers’ closets for the Stewardess or the Willis bag.  Maybe they are learning the classics.