US – American fashion brand Coach has launched a new line, Coachtopia, in a bid to elevate its commitment to regenerative fashion. The collection comprises nearly 100 products, including bags, accessories, ready-to-wear fashion and footwear made mostly from waste leather or partly recycled materials like cotton, resin or polyester. Prices range from £60 ($75, €68) for a T-shirt to £398 ($495, €450) for its most expensive handbag.
The line, with motifs like fluffy clouds and flowers, is aimed at Gen Z, who uphold sustainability as one of their key values. The 1970s aesthetic of Coachtopia is also designed to fill people with hope, rather than anxiety about the future. Like other fashion brands, Coach came under fire when a viral TikTok video in 2021 accused the brand of destroying unsold handbags. Since then, it has been investigating how it can adopt a circular business model that minimises waste while maximising product re-use.
The introduction of Coachtopia can also be viewed as a commitment by the brand to move beyond classic marketing opportunities of sustainable lines or limited-edition capsules – as consumers are no longer fooled by surface-level greenwashing attempts. Instead, the range shows what brands can do with unsold apparel and dead stock materials, as discussed in our Deadstock Designers microtrend.
Strategic opportunity
Responding to consumer criticism with a transparent, solution-based strategy can redeem brands in the minds of consumers
