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Slow and Steady Wins the Race: How Coach Made a Sustainable Comeback

Published on Dec. 4, 2024 at 6:54 p.m.

By Megan Renzi.

Whenever someone compliments the Y2K shoulder bag my mom handed down to me, I am reminded of how effortlessly something that once went out of style can rise to popularity again. From the digital camera craze to sold-out low-rise jeans, past trends often make a comeback, and with the right strategy, brands that have fallen off consumers’ radars can do the same.

Photo via Instagram

Rebranding creates a new identity for an existing brand in the eyes of its customers, investors, competitors, employees and other key stakeholders. The choice to rebrand in a market where new trends emerge daily goes beyond redesigning a website or updating social media accounts; it can be a crucial step in one’s public relations process.

When looking at who had a rebrand done right, Coach is the brand that comes to mind. Through its combined sustainability and social media efforts, Coach proved it’s not just back for the shoulder bag trend — it’s here to stay.

In 2013, Coach slowly began its rebranding initiative when Victor Luis was appointed as CEO and set the stage for the brand’s transformation with his fresh vision. The rebrand truly took off years later, all thanks to the bag that sparked Gen Z’s interest: the Tabby. Drawing from the inspiration of an archival Coach style, the iconic Tabby design was born in 2019 and attracted a whole new group of consumers. Since then it has been a social media sensation as unboxings and employee TikTok videos of designs like the Pillow Tabby and Swinger Bag dominated social platforms in the years following. This kind of shared media exposure revived Coach’s brand identity as the “it girl” bag for young consumers.

Its rebranding efforts didn’t stop there. In April 2023, Coach began its environmentally conscious comeback when it launched Coachtopia. The new sub-brand’s mission is to accelerate Coach’s transition toward a circular economy in fashion by rapidly prototyping new products, processes and ideas.

Photo via Instagram

Coachtopia’s Made Circular design philosophy reimagines waste as a valuable raw material and works backward, crafting its products from recycled, repurposed or renewable materials and designing them to live multiple lives. With the launch of Coachtopia, the brand effectively targets a new generation of consumers who are increasingly passionate about addressing the climate crisis and determined to drive change. Co-creating this new brand that allows for close collaboration with a growing community of Gen Z individuals — from climate activists to fashion enthusiasts — sets a new standard between the brand and consumer relationship.

Any brand can try to reinvent itself. Coach went beyond surface-level market trends and forged a meaningful connection with its new target audience by returning as a brand committed to building a better future. With its rebrand comes not only sustainable products but a sustainable online presence among Gen Z that sets Coach apart from the rest.

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