Shhh, don't tell Mickey Mouse, but Stuart Vevers has found a new favorite cartoon character: Popeye.
Coach's creative director, who has long used Disney characters in his line, mixed them up for his winter '25 collection, adorning the burly black-and-white sailor on a variety of oversized sweaters and ripped T-shirts with ” I love distressed finishes,” inspired by a famous Debbie Harry photograph from 1978. In some of the illustrations, Popeye carries a Coach Tabby bag, bringing the vintage image to life.
Vevers said he characterizes this collection as winter rather than resort or vacation because the young buyer he's targeting isn't traveling to some exotic location for Christmas. “It's an important distinction,” the designer said. “The Coach gang is mostly not on a cruise or at a resort.”
Instead, they look for comfortable, cozy clothing to wear when it's cold. To that end, Vevers filled the collection with sustainable oversized cardigans, knit leggings, printed pajamas, and other pieces that answer that call.
“It's the biggest knitting season we've ever had,” the designer said. “It definitely comes from a sartorial point of view, which knitwear gives us. “It’s about ease, ease and convenience, and I see that clearly in today’s generation moving away from formality.”
Case in point: Vevers continued to hit the nail on the head about the younger generation's preferred types of clothing. For example, he sees a lot of teenagers walking around New York in their pajamas, so he offered his version, which included a plaid number with a tuxedo stripe running down the leg. That same check was worn on a boxer brief, paired with a boxy leather jacket and new shearling-lined “slippers” (designed with street-friendly soles).
She mixed cozy argyle, cable and intarsia knits with feminine, irreverent party wear, like raw-hem lace tank tops and dresses, or voluminous taffeta and tweed skirts from the fall runway, now presented in plaid. with Christmas spirit. or with flocked velvet with polka dots and stripes. She continued to push the message with traditional crystal pavé bow brooches and reissues of oversized 1969 Kisslock Frame bags (in knit and leather) with more playful keychains and jewelry (including a Halloween pumpkin and gingerbread man), evoking the popular and spontaneous mix of ancient and modern costumes that attracts young people.
While many of the oversized sweaters and pajama pants could be worn by both sexes, there were a couple of pieces aimed exclusively at men, including a 1950s-inspired leather coat and black leather bomber jackets.
One of the standout pieces was a pair of garment-dyed “tuxedo” pajamas complete with satin details. “We're taking precious value away from things,” Vevers said.
