Coach on Thursday will unveil a special collaboration with Brain Dead, an independent Los Angeles-based streetwear brand known for its disruptive graphics.
The co-branded collection is rooted in youth culture and inspired by Gen Z’s desire for customization and collectibility. It reimagines some of Coach’s signature silhouettes including the Tabby, Waverly and Empire bags through Brain Dead’s aesthetic by embellishing the pieces to include patches, charms and buttons. The brand is known for its experimental graphics that blend fashion, art and design.
In addition to the handbags, the line will also offer ready-to-wear, footwear and bag charms, all of which can be customized. Among the pieces will be pleated skirts, shirtdresses and gingham bias dresses, skater shorts, graphic T-shirts and suede and denim jackets. Footwear will include wood-soled clogs and mary janes.
The capsule will be available for purchase exclusively at Selfridges in London for two weeks before a global launch on May 29. On Thursday, the two are cohosting a theme park-inspired party in New York to celebrate the collaboration, which is described on the invitation as “a lucid dream journey.”
Coach has partnered with a number of other brands over the years as it seeks to further ingratiate itself with its core Gen Z customer. They include Disney, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Peanuts and other well-known brands. The flagship division of Tapestry Inc., Coach’s sales increased 29 percent in the third quarter ended March 28 to $1.7 billion.
Brain Dead, which is touting collaborations with A.P.C., Star Wars, Malin + Goetz and Brooks Brothers on its website, is a creative collective and lifestyle brand founded in 2014 by Kyle Ng and Ed Davis. Its fashion draws inspiration from post-punk, underground comics, skateboarding and other subcultures. It also operates Brain Dead Studios, which features a movie theater and event space in Los Angeles.
