Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Coach-ing Techniques for Reed Krakoff

Remember that New Yorker article on Reed Krakoff not too long ago?  The one in which his mother and wife kept correcting him?

The article was about how Krakoff had developed his own line of clothes and bags (see photo, right) as well as his Coach line. 

At one point he said something like this (and I paraphrase from memory): he designs his Coach bags for a specific
customer, not one whose aesthetic he shares, but stated that his Reed Krakoff line is more a reflection of his own taste.

And the article does note what good taste Mr. Krakoff has. (Take a second look at the photo, now above.)

Certainly, designers design with a client in mind, but it is my (naive?) wish that they would design aspirational goods--not super-expensive pieces, but elegant, beautiful pieces that would respect and perhaps enhance the consumer's own taste.

For in the past decades, Coach has moved from a rather charmingly stodgy line of thick, train-case, horsy leathers to become the blinged-out love child of Juicy Couture and Roberto Cavalli. 

Did Mr. Krakoff seem a tad embarassed of the recent bags he's designed?  Perhaps not, as they have made money for the company, but perhaps he should, as they have made money for the company. 

He clearly has the aesthetic vision to create something lovely, as a counterpart to gaudy; why not do so for his Coach customer?

In related Coach news, five classic bags have just been reissued.  Available through Net-a Porter, as well as Coach, they are the grand dames, the foundations of the Coach legacy.  I will be interested to see how they are received.

Will women buy these:



or these?:

7 comments:

Justine said...

Dear Miss Cavendish,

Firstly I just wanted to say how much I enjoy your beautiful blog. It's like a civilised afternoon tea break for my brain each time I read it!

Thank you for your thoughtful entries, and please never stop writing them.

Secondly, I like to think that reading your blog puts me in touch with the more refined, lady like side of my personality, but you just made me literally snort with laughter over your "love child of Juicy Couture and Roberto Cavalli" comment!
I thought that it was just me that disliked how gaudy Coach had become, they certainly do not resemble the same handbags that my Grandmother used to buy me!

Susan B said...

Your "love child" description is brilliant!

I find most Coach bags absolutely eye-searing these days. It would be nice if they could find some elegant middle ground between the blinged out and the stodgy.

Genuine Lustre said...

I have three thick leather horsey Coach bags from back in the day, and I'm stickin' to 'em!

The Mighty J said...

You are spot on with the "love child" comment! I think the leather bags Coach used to make are far superior that the sub-par offerings they currently hawk.

Dorky Medievalist said...

Ha! Love child indeed. More importantly, how have I lived this long without the Coach stewardess shoulder bag? And that dress.

Miss Cavendish said...

Ahh, glad to learn that some of the vintage Coach styles are still appreciated! Thank you, all, for your comments!

L'age moyen said...

I loathe Coach. Can't believe anyone buys that poor imitation of a double c. Maybe it had its golden days (I like the leather bags in your last shot) but the overblown logo crap is just that. And over-priced too.