Recently, Coach has reserved its soft port Italian leather for men’s accessories; the material hasn’t been used for a women’s bag since Bonnie Cashin’s reign at the company decades ago. That will change with next spring’s introduction of the Madison Caroline Satchel.
For the crossover to work aesthetically, a textural modification was needed.
“We wanted a more feminine, luxurious version,” says Kimberly Price, senior vice president of women’s design. “We worked with one of our leather suppliers to make the patina brighter and give it more shine. We call it soft port luxe.”
To heighten textural interest, the designers combined flat and woven leather on the dowel-structured bag. The result delivers everyday practicality with a serious shot of chic.