Coach Is Trying a Bold Marketing Strategy (and It Just Might Work)

It's a Monday in July, so the chances that as you read this you're wearing some variant of athleisure, be it Nike, lululemon, or Adidas, are pretty good. If athleisure isn't your vibe, perhaps you're more buttoned up, wearing Brooks Brothers or Ralph Lauren. 

And if you're really fancy you may be wearing -- or carrying something -- by Louis Vuitton or Fendi. 

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But think for a moment about 30 years ago, back in the 1990s. What were you wearing then? Acid washed denim? Overalls? Platforms shoes, crop tops, handkerchiefs, and large buckle Coach purses? If you lived through the 90s, you may still have some of these legacy pieces tucked away in the corner of your closet. 

And, for better or for worse, a lot of these once-staple fashion items are beginning to make a comeback on urban high streets around the world. Brands have been both pushing and cashing in on the 90s trend, with Nordstrom Rack, Adidas, Nike, and lululemon targeting Gen Z with the old-is-new technique. 

Bucket hats, high top basketball sneakers, wind pants and neon once again grace the shelves of nearly every trendy shop. It's no secret that the 90s are cool again, and some once-beloved retailers are eyeing the comeback as a chance to make a name for themselves (again). 

Nordstrom Rack, which has been on something of a post-pandemic tear thanks to its brand name discount model rebranded its logo in the spring. The modular blue logo is actually a nod to an older logo made to reflect the "bold, confident and savvy" customer with an appreciation for what used to be cool decades ago.

Coach Tries to Make Old New Again

One such brand following in similar footsteps is Coach, owned by parent company Tapestry  (TPR) - Get Free Report. Tapestry, which also owns handbag designer Kate Spade and leather goods makers Stuart Weitzman, made it through the pandemic with mixed results. Sales across its three main brands have sputtered as tastes change. What used to be a mid 2000s darling (the stock hit an all-time high in 2012 at around $77 per share) sunk to lows of around $12 per share in June 2020. 

Coach has historically been Tapestry's darling, however. In 2022 it brought in $4.9 billion in net sales compared to Kate Spade's $1.4 billion and Stuart Weitzman's $318 million. It has global appeal, and while it hasn't been viewed as the hottest luxury brand in years, its vast reach remains sticky across most age groups. 

And in July, Coach opened its first pop-up shop in the trendy shopping district of SoHo, New York. Pop-ups are typically used by nascent, growing brands trendy among a younger cohort to generate buzz and social media attention. Pop-ups are normally in high-foot traffic areas, visually appealing (see: Instagrammable) and sometimes exclusive. 

Coach's approach to its pop-up, however, is distinctively vintage. It will feature its brand Coachtopia, an up-cycled and sustainable arm of Coach aimed squarely at Gen Z.

"The pop-up is designed to create an immersive and playful experience for customers and features architectural elements similar to that used in the brand such as scrap leather reimagined into custom patchwork seating and signs made from upcycled materials," Womens Wear Daily reports. "The space also features artwork by Skilset and Nicole McLaughlin, who are part of the global network of Gen Z activists and creatives Coach tapped to help develop Coachtopia."