Coach x Rodarte is easily one of the most unusual and awaited collaborations to drop this season. Since we may have gotten accustomed to see a flurry of designers collaborating with the who’s who of the industry these days but having two designer labels collaborate with each other is still rare occurrence. The collaboration is atypical not just in its model but also because both the brands have a very different aesthetic.
Creative Director of Coach, Stuart Vever’s explanation of how this came through makes a lot of sense when he said, “There definitely wasn’t some big strategy. It was more emotional; it was like I had a feeling that I’m still fairly new to America and, to me, Kate and Laura are a reference for American fashion.” Both him and Rodarte’s founding sisters, Kate and Laura Mulleavy stress on how organically their design process feel through and the collection which was supposed to be 15 pieces but spans around 40 now really goes to prove that.
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The collection that looks equal parts retro Americana and embellishment heavy is the perfect amalgamation of the best of both the brands. There are motor jackets in leather, knits, prairie dress and plentiful saddlebags and wristlets adorning floral appliqués. An interesting addition is their take on slogan t-shirt featuring 1970s Coach advertisements and the text ‘This is a Coach bag’ right below, of which the Rodarte designers explain, “We were looking through the archives with Stuart Vevers and we loved the vintage campaigns and bags from the 70s; they connected to our design spirit and unique perspective.”
The price range for the accessories is set anywhere from US $ 300 to US $ 1900 and is definitely heftier than Coach’s normal prices but Rodarte’s embellishments and fine leather definitely make it worth it. The collection is available in stores from April 1.
