Women's Leather Handbags - Coach - Affordable American Luxury Handbags
Patricia's Legacy Bag $298
Coach Inc. is an American leather goods company, which started out as a family-owned business in a loft in Manhattan, New York in 1941. It is most well-known for its ladies' leather handbags, but it also produces other items for both men and women, such as luggage, briefcases, wallets, and accessories (belts, shoes, silk scarves, umbrellas, sunglasses, key chains, etc.), watches, shoes, and even office furniture
Coach designer bags and leather products are expensive, but extremely well-made, using a high-quality leather and sturdy metal rivets and hardware (often solid brass – solid gold would be nice (Ed.)).
Carly Leather Bag $498
The Coach website states “Our glove-tanned pieces are crafted from natural leather which burnishes over time, acquiring a rich, lustrous patina … each style features signature details such as distinctive hardware, double-needle stitching and bound edges. The shapes soften gradually to the touch, taking on the individual imprint of the wearer.
Coach leather goods will often last 15 years or more with proper care, and some of the original Coach bags from the 1970s are still intact and in regular use. One of the outstanding features of the Coach company is that they will repair any Coach product all you have to do is to ship it back to the home office for a nominal fee, with a letter describing the problem.
The original designer for Coach was the American designer, Bonnie Cashin. In 1960, Miles and Lillian Cahn, the owners of a wholesale handbag manufacturing business, decided to create a retail collection.
Chelsea Hair Calf Satchel $898
They invited Cashin to become their designer. She declined the project, as at the time she was too busy. In an unusual move the Cahns said they would not start the business without her. They ended up waiting two years for her to be free. In 1962, Cashin became the designer for their new label of leather accessories, Coach.
Cashin revolutionized the handbag industry. Her designs were more like modern sculpture and were dyed to match her favourite candy colours of pink, orange, yellow and green, and lined with exquisite Belgian linens, Mexican cottons, or tweeds from designer Dorothy Liebes. After many years of black and brown, clients were enthralled by the new variety of shapes, colours and textures available, all with convenient wide openings or exterior coin purses and pockets.
Cashin pioneered the use of hardware on her clothes and accessories, in particular the brass toggle that was to become the Coach hallmark.
Rambler Legacy Satchel $298
Coach has unusually long production runs for a luxury bag designer and is therefore able to take advantage of economies of scale which ensures higher profit margins. Coach also utilizes lower-cost production facilities in developing countries such as China and the Dominican Republic.
Coach is also successful due to the fact that it has a reputation for 'affordable luxury,' i.e. it is recognized as a luxury product yet is priced to be accessible to those for whom price is a consideration.
Overseas sales are strong, especially in Japan. Its main competition in Asia is Louis Vuitton, which remains the top seller of women's luxury handbags –see Louis Vuitton Bags and Gucci Designer Handbags.
In 1985 Coach was acquired by the Sara Lee Corporation. In October 2000, Coach became a public traded company listed on the NYSE. Since this purchase the company has expanded to include "fashion" items
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