One of the greatest parts of youth is the freedom to make mistakes. For most of us, though, it’s only in hindsight that we really learn to appreciate this time for what it is, seeing the infiniteness of life only once the moment has passed us. But what if, instead of lamenting all that holds us back, this possibility was unlocked from within? After all, at any given moment, we are always the youngest we will ever be. Perhaps all we need is the nudge to get out of our own way. With its latest campaign, Coach compels us to embrace this sentiment, exhibiting the power one can harness when we let go of the pressure to get it right.
Starring new global ambassadors Elle Fanning, Charles Melton, Nazha and Storm Reid, and returning Coach family members Jayson Tatum, Kōki, and Youngji Lee, this campaign introduces Coach’s Fall 2024 collection in a series of videos we can all relate to. Within each allegory, we see these characters galvanised by the playful pull of new-season designs, where unbridled self-expression lifts wearers far beyond the pursuit of perfection ever could.
As the newest exploration of “The Courage to Be Real,” a platform inspiring people to express their many sides, Camille Summers-Valli directs these stories that put courage and authenticity at the forefront, tapping major talents who embody this dynamic spirit. Elle Fanning portrays a young woman, paralysed by nerves as she prepares for an audition, whose confidence is awoken by the Brooklyn bag she carries. May December star Charles Melton is arriving at a first date when his Hitch backpack helps him shed reservations and be his authentic self. In Nazha’s film, the actress plays a woman walking up to an intimidating party as her new Times Square Tabby bag provides her with all the assurance she needs to arrive in style. The new ambassadors are joined in the campaign films by returning Coach Family member, rapper Youngji Lee, depicting a woman approaching a family gathering with hesitancy and self-doubt before her Tabby bag pulls her out of her shell.
As creative director Stuart Vevers explains, this ethos of self-empowerment is inherent to Coach’s design.
“My approach to the “Unlock Your Courage,” campaign matched my design process for the Fall collection,” said Vevers. “We focused on the tension between something romantic and picturesque and something very real and spontaneous, a sense of the lived-in but compelling aesthetic that typifies the spirit of New York.”
These films are complemented by a series of photographs by British photographer Elaine Constantine, which capture carefree moments of inner liberation and feature the full cast, including Storm Reid, who makes her debut with the brand in new season eyewear, Jayson Tatum, for eyewear and watches, and Kōki, featuring the new Times Square Tabby. Working closely with each individual’s idiosyncracies, Constantine achieves a unique portraiture that evokes the spontaneity of human emotion and the confidence that radiates from the uninhibited.
Effervescently portrayed in this campaign, Coach’s unique brand of expressive luxury puts wearers firmly in the driver’s seat, enabling them to boldly forge on without limits. While accessories and ready-to-wear are crafted with techniques refined over the decades, the freedom to be imperfect comes through these go-to pieces. Though we may not always see it clearly, there really is no time like the present. With Coach’s new ‘Unlock Your Courage’ campaign, harnessing life’s possibilities isn’t about tuning into what’s around us, but unapologetically championing what’s already within.
This story first appeared on GRAZIA International.
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