Coach Goes Circular and Signs Lil Nas X

Stuart Vevers takes his American pop-culture studies seriously. For his spring show at the Park Avenue Armory, he had set maestro Stefan Beckman to create a huge NYC pier, more dreamscape than literal. To open the show, performance artists played characters – a young couple, a musician and more – engaged in mundane daily activities. Despite the urban construct, Vevers seems to have sought inspiration elsewhere as well, as the mesmerizing performance recalled the famous dream-sequence ballet in Oklahoma.

There was nothing dreamlike about the clothes. Vevers is a creative pragmatist and very specific in his messaging. He sees what people need and responds to it. Lately, he has focused on outerwear and accessories, and he continued here to strong effect – his coats and bags looked terrific.

The attention to outerwear was so strong that for the most part, Vevers didn’t bother to do pants, and often models across genders took to the runway in only a long jacket atop sneakers or jellies. His preferred silhouette: strong, boxy and cut to mid-thigh in leather, with which he made a major statement. He also showed a fabulous series of big Aran sweaters, decorated with colorful patches, the haphazard appearance of which was in fact not random. The sweaters were repurposed – “love worn” and niftied up with the colorful appliques.

They were part of a broader vision. Vevers has become determined to work in a circular way. His also reworked existing leathers into great-looking one-of-a-kind pieces, including a fanciful patchwork motif.

Vevers’ show notes made frequent reference to next-generation concerns. While his outerwear should appeal across age demographics, several babydoll dresses and some peppy varsity-inspired looks were courting the young crowd.

So, too, Coach’s new brand ambassador, Lil Nas X, whom Vevers enlisted to close the show. Immediately after, a press release announced the affiliation, which sounds like a smart pairing. A little inside-journalism note here: Typically when a brand reveals such a relationship, the release features a quote in which the celebrity expresses honor and excitement and praises the world-altering vision of the brand in language that no human being on earth uses conversationally. Not this time. Instead, Nas X offered: "It was such a fun experience being part of the Coach show and walking on my first runway ever. I’m super excited to make my debut as a face of Coach, a fashion house that believes in a lot of the same things as me. I can’t wait to share all of the other amazing things I’ve been working on with Stuart and his team very soon.”

Maybe Nas said it; maybe a PR with common sense and a deft ear wrote for it him. Either way, it sounds like he really said it. Kudos to Nas X and Coach for keeping it real.