Under creative director Stuart Vevers, all-American brand Coach has made itself the ultimate It-bag connoiseur—and this season sees yet another addition to its stellar lineup. For Fall 2020, Vevers very much had the ’80s on his mind—the energy, the aesthetics and the art—which inevitably led him to one of the greatest artists of the time: Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Known for his colourful Neo-Expressionist art that drew from his background in street graffiti, Basquiat developed an artistic language that is as arresting now, as it was in his day. Partnering with Basquiat’s family, who oversees his estate, on an exclusive collaboration for Fall 2020, Vevers translated the late artist’s work into, quite literally, wearable art.
Here’s what you can expect: The artist’s most recognisable motifs, such as his crown, dinosaurs (coincidentally a Coach icon, too), and the New York skyline, have been woven skilfully onto key ready-to-wear pieces and bags.
“Basquiat is one of my heroes,” said Vevers. “He embodied the creative, inclusive spirit of New York and was a force for change in his community. I am proud to celebrate his work and values and help bring them to a new generation.”
One of our top picks from the Coach x Jean-Michel Basquiat collection is the Beat Shoulder Bag 18. Crafted from Coach’s signature glovetanned leather and pebbled leather, the versatile bag is infused with the edginess of the Eighties with the addition of elements from Basquiat’s striking artwork. The shoulder bag functions as a brand new canvas for a new wave of art and fashion lovers and is perfect for taking you from day to night.
Augmented reality experience
Using augmented reality (AR) technology, we spotlight two ways to style the Coach x Jean-Michel Basquiat Beat Shoulder Bag 18, with commentary from Vogue Singapore’s fashion director Desmond Lim.
As you know, fashion always looks better in motion.
Click on the image below on your smartphone to see the looks come to life in augmented reality.
“When I first saw the collection, I thought it worked very well with the whole sensibility of how Singaporeans dress. There’s that ease to it, there’s also a sense of sophistication that’s quite prominent in the collection,” says Lim.
Case in point: The leather culottes seen on Coach’s Fall 2020 runway, which are just the thing to add to your new season wardrobe. With its flattering cut and unbelievably soft texture, it’s the exact thing that will turn an outfit from zero to hero.
“We worked around the idea of the leather culottes and built things around it. You want the look to be understated and, at the same time, still quite youthful, so we styled it with a varsity sort of sensibility,” says Lim. “At the same time, we did a whole play with colour-blocking, and toned everything down with a white jacket and sneakers.”
The pièce de résistance of the look is inevitably the Coach x Jean-Michel Basquiat Beat Shoulder Bag 18, which has been refined for day by utilising its long leather strap. “When you’re running around from place to place in the day, it’s great to keep your hands free,” explains Lim. “And we thought that using the long strap to wear the bag across the body was a great way to complete the varsity look that we were going for.”
Polished, but with a sense of joyfulness is how Lim describes the perfect evening look—something that he kept in mind for the second outfit. “We thought a lot about this whole idea of packability—say, for example, you’re going for a little trip, and you want to pack light—so what we did was: on the mini dress that the model is already wearing, we pulled a long skirt over it and changed the entire look,” he says.
Keeping in line with the sophisticated styling for evening, the bag also takes on a more elegant identity. With the long strap removed, it instantly refreshes the outfit, whether it is carried insouciantly on the shoulder, or held as a top handle. “The idea of it is still young, relatable and approachable,” says Lim.
Photography: Vanessa Caitlin
Fashion Direction: Desmond Lim
Hair: Junz Loke
Make-up: Cheryl Ow
Production assistants: David Bay, Hazirah Rahim
Model: Lan Lan/Ave Management
The Fall 20 collection is now available in stores, find out more from coach.com. Prefer to stay home? With Coach on delivery, you can shop virtually with a local Sales Advisor through Whatsapp or email and enjoy complimentary home delivery service. Shop Coach x Jean-Michel Basquiat on https://singapore.coach.com/
