A Brief History
On April 28, 1941, the company that would become Coach, Inc. maker of premium designer leather goods was founded.
Digging Deeper
The Gail Leather Company in New York City made top quality leather products by hand. In the manner of the day, most products were typically brown or black throughout the 1940’s and into the 1950’s. (Note: This researcher could not find an exact date for the founding of the company, even after corresponding with Coach. Thus, the April 28 date is arbitrary, although 1941 is correct.)
The strong and supple nature of “broken in” baseball gloves was the inspiration for processing leather that would wear well with age, getting stronger and more supple. The high quality products caught on, especially once designs started using a variety of bright colors and including various pockets and compartments. The characteristic silver toggle hearkens back to the snaps on a convertible’s roof.
Every silver lining has a cloud, and in this case the “cloud” is counterfeiting. Known as “knock-offs,” counterfeit purses and related items are the number one most counterfeited item in the United States (according to MSN.com). CNBC reports that counterfeiting is a billion dollar business!
How does the consumer protect himself/herself? The internet has dozens of websites detailing how to spot fakes and avoid getting scammed. Even YouTube has videos to tell you how to verify the genuineness of a Coach purse. Of course, Coach also makes billfolds, wallets, briefcases and a variety of other premium leather products, so buying from a reputable dealer is probably your best protection.
Although not even close to being the most expensive designer purses, Coach purses are of the highest quality and may well outlast other brands that cost more. The typical $100 to $400 price of a Coach may well be a lifetime investment. A lady I know (we can call her “Mom”) has had Coach purses for 40 years and the oldest ones are nearly like new. Only minimal cleaning and leather care is all it takes.
Coach has grown to 12,000 employees and has revenues of well over $3 billion per year. Still headquartered on West 34th Street in New York, the company even puts their name on wristwatches and eye-wear along with all the other men’s and women’s accessories.
Question for students (and subscribers): What designer labels do you like best, and why? How about the ones you like the least? Share your opinions in the comments section below this article.
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Historical Evidence
For more information, please see Coach’s website here and to spot fake purses, see…
Stewart, Briana. How to Spot a Fake Designer Handbag: Stop Being Ripped off by Scammers: Learn How to Spot a Fake Designer Handbag for 1 mile away. Bull City Publishing, 2013.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="1963 http://www.crackedhistory.com/?p=1963">16 Comments
I do not buy designer products.
I love buying designer products so i found this article to be interesting.
I have never purchased designer items. Still interesting though.
I love designer products, they are high quality and durable. My favorite brands are Calvin Klein, Gucci, Channel, Coach, Marc Jacobs, Carolina Herrera and many other excellent products. This products are generally high priced even when they are on sale but as I mentioned before they are durable and therefore a smart investment.
I’m not into designer products so I don’t have a favorite or a least favorite! Interesting article!
I found this interesting because some people are always obsessed with the idea of designer products, and before now I never knew why.
I have bought a few designer items, so I definitely find this article to be interesting.
I have several designer bags, some that are very high end. Coach bags beat quite a few of them in quality.
I was never into coach; nevertheless, I know they are popular among my peers.
I love designer bags! My favorites are Coach and Gucci.
I don’t really have a favorite designer, especially of purses because I do not usually use them. However, I do see a lot of coach bags being worn today. The most popular I see are Vera Bradly and Lily Pullitzer.
Nike is my favorite designer, being an athlete plays into my choice. I know it is not a top notch brand like Coach, Vera Bradley or Versace, but i’m a broke college student and do not have the funds for these brands.
I really like Coach purses, and it is nice to have a designer that hasn’t totally made prices too expensive. My favorite brands are Ralph Lauren Polo and J. Crew.
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Coach has proven themselves to be a major success over the years. They create and sell their purses with high-quality and last long periods of time, sometimes even better than higher priced competitor brands as the article had suggested.