Coach Releases a New Tabby Bag Iteration During Its Fall 2025 Runway Show — Here’s Why the Tabby Is One of the Most Popular Purses of 2025.

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Earlier this week, Coach made waves with its Fall/Winter 2025 runway show during NYFW, whose key moments included a live soundtrack that paid homage to the late David Lynch; an overall “’90s in New York” vibe that channeled how the fashion house’s creative director Stuart Vevers felt when he first arrived to the city; and styles that appealed to the sensibilities of a certain kind of downtown-based urbanite, blending rebellious grunge with the über-cool, hipster mentality favored by Gen Z.

Founded in Manhattan in 1941, Coach is a New York brand through and through, and so Vevers, this year at least, kept the aesthetic ethos focused on a lot of dark colorways, patchwork, and leather — typical New York, in other words. An aspect of the show that generated the most post-event buzz? Coach’s Fall 2025 bag choices. There was a play on the proportions of the much-loved Brooklyn and Empire bags, the debut of the Twin Pocket Bag, and a more-sparkly-than-ever Times Square Tabby. Onlookers were also treated to a touch of whimsy, in the form of plush handbag charms that ranged from carrots to teddy bears. Considering viewers were occupying Vevers’ world for a brief time, such additions didn’t seem ludicrous at all but were, instead, quite of the moment — as all of his creations are.

Though it was hard to look away from the models strutting down the Park Avenue Armory’s makeshift runway that evening, attention had to be given to the front row, whose on-trend and in-the-know fixtures all toted Coach’s latest Tabby bag release (soft-launched on its Spring 2025 runway last year). It’s the Chain Tabby Shoulder Bag, to be exact, whose head-turning appeal was as evident as ever at Coach’s latest showcase.

Coach’s Chain Tabby Shoulder Bag is a roomier version of the ’70s-inspired Tabby we all know and love: the very one that was deemed a top luxury gift idea on Google’s Holiday 100 roundup late last year (after searches for it reached an all-time high in 2024). In its 30 and 35 iterations, the new-and-improved Tabby can house a tablet or a laptop, making this bag more than just a night-out accessory. The bag’s arrival comes just in time for spring, too, thanks to its smallest size’s uplifting, pastel-forward hue offerings. We’re particularly obsessed with the fact that this handbag, unlike its traditional Tabby predecessor, offers some slouch. Though it can’t fully be pegged “hobo-style” — unlike the Coach Brooklyn Bag, which topped Lyst Index’s Q4 2024 list unveiled this year — it still paints a more relaxed and unbothered picture than its rectilinear elder. What’s more, that chain strap addition makes for three strap-slash-handle possibilities: providing the choice of carrying this bag in an over-the-shoulder or cross-shoulder manner while delivering a dose of New York attitude to your daily outfits as the seasons change.

This update points in the direction of a shift from quiet luxury to a fashion industry–wide penchant for bold and expressive maximalism. Vevers, though, proves that a more-is-more outlook can be classy, emulation-worthy, and high-brow… so long as you anchor it to a rich heritage, ensuring trendiness and timelessness go hand in hand.

Indeed, Tabbies boasting chains are versatile as can be, which is a big contributing factor to their timeless appeal. At the Feb. 10 Coach show, guests were spotted flaunting Tabby bags with chains in conjunction with model-off-duty, sporty looks, as seen on the below visual’s left side, or else as the cherry on top of outfits already skewing towards the preppy and feminine (demonstrated on the right-hand side of the image).

Though the newest chain-bedecked Tabby from Coach features a smooth finish, we can’t forget about its more textured or else more pillowy variations. First released in early February 2024, the Coach Quilted Tabby quickly became as popular as Coach’s Pillow Tabby (currently unavailable online) — a favorite for the fashionable consumer due to its cloud-like feel. That’s not to say that the buzzy Chain Tabby Shoulder Bag doesn’t share similarities with its more visually complex, quilted cousin. Both, after all, are function-meets-style designer bags at their core: with easy-to-access organizational compartments, eye-catching hardware, and leather bodies that give them a sensual tactility.

While the WWD Shop team is quite stoked about everything Vevers showcased during Coach’s Fall/Winter 2025 runway show (like the aforementioned Times Square Tabby‘s redesign with vintage-inspired, beaded detailing, whose bling was dressed down by way of an argyle-print knit sweater tied to it), we’re especially keeping an eye on the freshest, still-available Coach bag style — the Chain Tabby Shoulder Bag. All things considered, we recommend being proactive and scoring the hot commodity before it sells out. Trending colorways, like the Honey Brown, can disappear in a flash (and it can take months before those bags are restocked again). Consider this a sign to splurge with delight on this treat for yourself or the most fashion-forward woman in your life.

While you’re at it, don’t forget to add a few of Coach’s oh-so-cute bag charms to your cart, which also appeared on Google’s Holiday 100 list last year. Coach is in the business of surprising devotees with the cutest new charm releases — the easiest way to add some cheer and show your personality by way of a high-quality accessory that you’ll cherish for seasons to come.

Coach Tabby Bag Popularity Continues to Grow for 2025

Some purses earn their ‘It’ bag status by catering to the current trend cycle. Others are timeless silhouettes that withstand fleeting waves of fashion preferences. The Coach Tabby Bag deftly does both with its classic handbag silhouette that the brand is constantly being reimagined in new shapes, colorways, and prints that allow you to showcase your unique style.

A stark contrast to logo-centric, in-your-face luxury that’s dominated the trend cycle in past years, fashion insiders are no longer just taking note of the Tabby — they’ve made the silhouette 2025’s most ubiquitous accessory (and the year is just getting started!). That’s because the Tabby bag benefits from a classic shape that creates a carte blanche of sorts for textural materials, gleaming hardware, and the year’s most on-trend colorways.

Put simply, the Tabby landed at the right place and time to become one of the most coveted bags of our time. Case in point: The Tabby earned a spot on a 2024 Lyst Index Hottest Products ranking, catapulting Coach back onto the list of fashion’s Hottest Brands for the first time since 2022 — likely due to its long list of celebrity fans (Emily Ratajkowski, Jennifer Lopez, Ice Spice, and more) and Gen Z TikTok appeal amounting to millions upon millions of posts. On 2025’s Lyst Index Q4 2024 roundup, Coach was still very much in the public eye: securing a spot on the Hottest Brands list while its Brooklyn Shoulder Bag earned high marks as the quarter’s Hottest Product overall.

Back to the Tabby though, we’ve seen endless manifestations of it released over the years — ranging from pastels to tie dye and ’90s grunge florals — with many selling out in a matter of hours, especially when intimately tied to the latest-and-greatest trends. The Coach Denim Tabbies, for example, struck a chord with Western wear and Y2K trends, depleting in inventory not once but twice.

With so much star power and endless options to choose from, the Tabby bag wears like a chameleon — complimenting every fashion sensibility under the sun. Browsing the top luxury handbags on the market right now and the influencers who tote them, it would appear we’re all taking cues from our stylish grandmothers and old-school style icons to make quality investments on tried-and-true bag silhouettes that will stand the test of time. It’s all about timeless style and versatility with these everyday bags.

So, what’s new for the Coach Tabby in 2025? Chains, baby (as well as more room to store all your springtime on-the-go essentials). With the drop of the Chain Tabby Shoulder Bag, we just know it will soon become the star of the show on city streets and in no shortage of home wardrobes alike. Plus, charms will continue holding mass appeal and adding a layer of personalization to the whole Coach experience. The Lyst Index Q4 2024 list, for instance, reported that searches for bag charms on Lyst spiked 77% that quarter — a sign of the fact that shoppers are tapping into quirkiness and Gen Z playfulness, no holds barred. Sure, the Cherry Bag Charm is still relevant as ever, but we’re also seeing new launches of instant must-haves like the Mushroom Bag Charm, Heart Bag Charm, and Snail Bag Charm from Coach.

The Tabby lends itself very well to all this accessorizing, which expands beyond charms and into the realms of scarves, key chains, and (as we witnessed on the Coach Fall 2025 runway) full-on sweaters looped through its handles. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure over here, and we’re loving every second.

Without further ado, these are the top Tabby bags our editors and fashion insiders are adding to their e-carts rights now.

The Best Coach Tabby Bags of 2025

The Different Types of Coach Tabby Bags

The Coach Tabby collection is ever-growing with new and inspiring silhouettes. Besides the spanking-new Coach Chain Tabby Shoulder Bag — which comes in three size options and colorways ranging from the trendy Honey Brown to the giddy Sage — consider the Tabby Shoulder Bag 20 With Pillow Quilting And Crystal Rivets that brings a touch of sparkle with pavé accents while still staying true to the bag’s archival silhouette, or else the Tabby Shoulder Bag 20 With Cherry Print (girly as can be and embracing the current love of all things cherries). Interested in taking the double bag trend for a test drive? Coach’s Times Square Tabby Bag is the pick for you, what with its small, square shape that lays beautifully over canvas totes and leather carry-alls.

There’s even more sizes of the Tabby up for grabs: You can now choose between the Coach Tabby Bag 12 that wears like a mini bag for nights out, the 20 or 26 shoulder bags for day-to-day whereabouts, the Tabby Shoulder Bag 33 With Quilting that’s made to handle a hefty haul, and beyond. Each unique design features elegant and edgy chain straps that make it easy to wear as a shoulder or crossbody bag.

Coach Tabby Bag Review — Editor Testing Notes

WWD Shop editor Claire Sullivan recently took the Coach Tabby 26 Shoulder Bag With Quilting for a two-day test drive in New York City, toting the black colorway with gold hardware to the office, out for happy hour drinks, and on various errands. When she first laid hands on this shoulder bag, the quality of the leather is what struck her — the supple, soft-as-butter feel of the bag makes it feel like it should go for triple the cost. The quilting on the Tabby Sullivan tested enhances the look of the leather, contrasting the brushed gold hardware on the bag.

Judging the bag on its looks and materials alone, she has no notes: This is a classic handbag that has quality feel of a piece you’d never dream of re-selling or trading in after a few years of use.

The Tabby’s chain straps are both practical and pretty: Sullivan found that the leather detailing in the strap helped the bag stay put on her shoulder (similar bags she owns with hardware straps tend to slip when wearing them on silky tops). The sliding chain design allows you to style the bag as a crossbody bag or a shoulder bag; Sullivan preferred the latter, as this allowed the bag to fall at a flattering point near her hips. However the versatility to wear it crossbody bodes well for travel, where you want to keep your valuables close to your body.

On that topic, the Tabby offers impressive capacity and organization. She was able to fit an iPhone Pro Max, a full-sized tube of hand cream, four lipsticks, headphones, and a bifold wallet inside with room to spare for small soft goods. The Tabby Sullivan tested features one interior pocket with a zip closure plus another with a magnetic closure, which provide peace of mind for high-value essentials like spare jewelry or a passport.

Stylistically speaking, the black Tabby bag complimented Sullivan’s wardrobe of mostly neutral basics. She wore it with straight-leg jeans and a white button down for brunch, then teamed it with a silky slip dress for a more formal cocktail event in the city. This is the type of handbag that fills any hole in your purse lineup: It functions as an alternative to an evening clutch, a dressier take on a casual bag, and (depending on the print) an outfit-finishing statement piece.

History of Coach Tabby Bags

The iconic Tabby Shoulder Bag is inspired by a 1970s design originally conceived by famed designer Bonnie Cashin. Considered a wunderkind upon her introduction to American fashion during high school, Cashin was a major pioneer of American sportswear. She grew up around fashion and textiles as the daughter of a dressmaker, and began her career as a costume designer before working with sportswear designer Louis Adler.

In addition to owning her own business, Bonnie Cashin Designs, Cashin designed flight attendants’ uniforms for American Airlines and sold pieces at the Hermès Paris store before becoming the first designer at Coach Leatherware in 1962. During her tenure, Cashin introduced house signatures and heritage bag silhouettes, including the brass turnlock fasteners and toggles many Coach bags still carry today. According to The Met Museum, “Her Cashin Carry bags incorporated exterior coin purses, and could be layered similarly to her clothing.”

Re-worked in 2019 by Coach Creative Director Stuart Vevers, the initial Coach bag design to inspire the Tabby was multi-functional, as it was able to be worn as a shoulder or crossbody bag. Vevers’ Tabby bag immediately rose to mainstream popularity after it hit the runway, and was seen on the arms of celebrities from Jennifer Lopez, Megan the Stallion, and Selena Gomez. The fall 2019 campaign that featured the Tabby bag, photographed by Juergen Teller in New York City, entitled “Dream It Real,” starred Michael B. Jordan and Kiko Mizuhara, along with Yara Shahidi.

In 2021, the Pillow Tabby was introduced and enjoyed a meteoric rise in popularity, especially on TikTok, where it garnered 21.4 million video views for its plush and modern exterior. There’s psychology behind the Pillow style’s popularity, too, with experts connecting our attraction towards the pillowy feel to the comfort found in soft materials that takes us back to our childhood love of plush toys.

Since its re-introduction, the Coach Tabby bag line continues to grow, expanding from shoulder bags to satchels, crossbody bags, and small leather goods alike. The wide variety of styles and sizes make the Tabby easy for anyone to incorporate into their wardrobes.

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Meet the Author

Claire Sullivan is the Senior Beauty and Lifestyle Commerce Editor for Footwear News and WWD, where she writes and edits beauty, fashion and lifestyle stories. She has over eight years of experience as a writer and editor for national media outlets including Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Weddings, InStyle, and Byrdie. She keeps her finger on the pulse of all things related to beauty and wellness, as well as the latest shopping trends and clothing brands like Coach.

Adam Mansuroglu is the Director of Commerce for Footwear News and WWD, overseeing strategy for shopping content on both brands, along with writing and editing shopping guides, product reviews, and shopping trend stories across fashion, beauty, home and lifestyle product categories for men and women. Prior to his current role, Mansuroglu was a fashion editor and stylist at Cosmopolitan Magazine, Style Editor at BestProducts.com, and Senior Style and Gear Editor at Men’s Health Magazine. Mansuroglu has been tapped as a shopping expert for editorial websites such as Wirecutter, and his writing has also appeared in Out Magazine, Esquire and other publications. Mansuroglu updated this Coach Tabby bag story with additional reporting in November 2024.

Stacia Datskovska is a Senior Commerce Writer at WWD. Previously, she worked at ELLE DECOR as an assistant digital editor, covering all things luxury, culture, and lifestyle through a design lens. Her bylines over the past five years have appeared in USA Today, Baltimore Sun, Teen Vogue, Boston Globe, Food & Wine, and more. Prior to joining ELLE DECOR, Datskovska learned the ins and outs of e-commerce at Mashable, where she tested products, covered tentpole sales events, and curated gift guide roundups. She graduated from NYU with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and international relations. Datskovska regularly reports on the latest-and-greatest in the world of Coach, and she updated this Coach Tabby bag story with additional reporting in February 2025.