Few American brands have managed to create the iconic legacy that Coach has with its lineup of handbags, beloved by celebrities and fashion devotees of all ages. And it all started with an unequivocal dedication to leather craftsmanship.
Coach’s Handbag Lineup, at a Glance:
When husband-and-wife duo Lillian and Miles Cahn joined a small, family-run workshop in 1946, they embarked on a shared journey of creating quality leather goods that lasted. Fast forward to 1962, when Miles Cahn hired Bonnie Cashin as lead designer and changed fashion history as we know it. As the label’s first real creative director, her forward-thinking approach spanned everything from color and proportion to inventing the signature turn-lock hardware and popularizing the concept of carrying two bags to work.
The brand looked to the soft patina of leather baseball mitts to inform some of its earliest designs: capacious carryalls crafted from supple, glove-tanned leathers, unlike the prim, boxy top handles that dominated the market at the time. These more relaxed shapes answered a busy woman’s need for sensible accessories that looked as good on the move as they did perched on a subway seat. Cashin also set the tone for Coach as we know it today, infusing it with a distinct New York energy that still resonates with new shoppers and collectors alike.
In 1996, Reed Krakoff was hired to revamp Coach’s products, advertising, store design, and merchandising, armed with his modernist, minimalist aesthetic, and always with an artsy angle. Many of the designs under his era, like the Bleecker Street Haversack (which has sold for upwards of $2,500 on the secondhand market) are now highly collectible. When Stuart Vevers succeeded Reed Krakoff as creative director in 2013, he introduced ready-to-wear and quickly established himself as the visionary behind some of the label’s most enduring designs.
As far as Coach bags go today, they’re a favorite option for first big designer purchases. The brand maintains its Gen Z status, with icons like Bella Hadid, PinkPantheress, and Zendaya proudly toting the bags. Further adding to the youth culture momentum, in 2023 Coach launched the sub-label, Coachtopia, which repurposes surplus materials into funky, often maximalist, playful designs that are deeply Gen Z coded.
So, what once began as a small, family-run leather-goods business in 1941 has now grown into a household name anchored by a booming handbag business that includes the Chelsea, Brooklyn, Empire, and the cult-favorite Tabby. Read on for our guide to shopping the best Coach bags.
