Coach put on rock 'n' roll show set to appeal to Londoners as Kate Moss sits front row alongside boyfriend Count Nikolai von Bismarck
British designer Stuart Vevers has honed in on a look which resonates with Londoners as a means to boost the menswear sales of U.S. super brand Coach.
Staging his latest catwalk show on the London Collections Men schedule this afternoon, Vevers referenced counter-culture and a rock ‘n’ roll sensibility which looked perfectly at home here in the capital.
Biker jackets splayed with graffiti, studded loafers and spray-on leather trousers served as the foundation in a showcase in which the Doncaster designer repackaged codes synonymous with cult American culture for a Twenty First century luxury consumer. Models, undone James Dean quiffs and painted on tattoos, served as a fitting accompaniment to Vevers’ own American dream.
While deeply rooted in State Side sensibility – everything from New York punk to biker gangs and beatniks were referenced here – the result was a collection with deep appeal to Londoners who have always looked to the rebellious streak of American as a means to influence their style.
The aesthetic, Seventies front-man meets Kerouac’s Sal Paradise, is certainly one that struck a chord with fashion’s favourite rebel Kate Moss who, clad in a leather biker and joined by current boyfriend Count Nikolai von Bismarck, watched the show from the front-row.
And little wonder, after all there is nothing Moss loves more than a biker jacket and a high-fashion collection that looks as if it was designed to be accessorised with a packet of Marlboro Lights.
Vevers, who enlisted the Californian cartoonist and painter Gary Baseman to paint directly onto the clothes in this collection, is becoming increasingly attuned to the more exportable elements of US culture. It’s a skill that has seen him to look to Ivy League style, skater-culture and hip-hop to influence the regeneration of Coach since taking over in 2014.
For next season Vevers’ most overtly commercial pieces include a range of oversized back packs which are set to delight those who favour their luxury with a youthful and somewhat utilitarian edge.
A series of slogan emblazoned tote bags and a collection of silky printed souvenir jackets – well on their way to becoming a new Coach signature – also looked set to appeal to customers on both sides of the Atlantic.
ArticleKate Moss sits front row alongside boyfriend at Coach showLondon Collections: MenCoachStuart VeversKate MossCount Nikolai von BismarckJames DeanCoach SS17 at London Collections Men
Coach SS17 at London Collections Men
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1/18 Coach at LCM
Jordan Barrett, Kate Moss, Nikolai von Bismarck and Nick Grimshaw
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Jordan Barrett, Kate Moss, Nikolai von Bismarck, Nick Grimshaw and Jack Guinness
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Oliver Cheshire, Johannes Huebl, Robert Konjic and David Gandy
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Jordan Barrett, Kate Moss, Nikolai von Bismarck and Nick Grimshaw
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Jordan Barrett, Kate Moss, Nikolai von Bismarck and Nick Grimshaw
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Jordan Barrett, Kate Moss and Nikolai von Bismarck
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Stuart Vevers and Kate Moss
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Stuart Vevers and Kate Moss
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Models walk the SS17 runway
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A model walks the SS17 runway
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Models walk the SS17 runway
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A model walks the SS17 runway
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A model walks the SS17 runway
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A model walks the SS17 runway
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A model walks the SS17 runway
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A model walks the SS17 runway
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A model walks the SS17 runway
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A model walks the SS17 runway
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British designer Stuart Vevers took over the brand back in 2014