AUTUMNAL tones poured into the room as each Coach 1941 look graced the runway in a colour palette of deep red, earthy brown, and forest green. Creative director Stuart Vevers set his AW18 show at South Street Seaport in downtown Manhattan and used the words ‘Gothic prairie’ to describe the runway that was decorated with trees and scattered leaves.
The show exuded a practical and wearable feel with neutral tones, simple and conventional cuts, and retro style jackets. Although Vevers jazzed the looks up with clashing prints and metallic jewellery his old American western style taste, a feature of last year’s AW collection, could not be hidden among the tassels, cowboy boots, ruffled dresses, and shearling jackets. Vever’s collaboration with Colorado-based artist Chelsea Chaplain, whose hand-painted vintage Coach bags he’d found on Instagram, cleverly brought attention to the leather goods Coach is so famous for.
Paisley prints were paired with lace and suede outwear, embroidered floral detail was a feature of chiffon dresses, and studs met denim and leather on jackets. The additional references to goth and American glamour in the use of velvet and skull designs suggest a new direction for future Coach shows. Silhouettes were sophisticated and the handcrafted construction was admirable in each look. With 63 looks the show was a mass of intricate detail, the detail that was dangerously near to being lost amongst the fringing, lace hems and ruffles.
by Lily Rimmer