I never really cared about what’s going on at Coach, but the resort 2025 lookbook has sparked my interest. Finally, a brand in New York that fills the blank space that Raf Simons left after creating the ambitious – and sadly aborted – Calvin Klein 205W39NYC project. Stuart Vevers similarly plays with the codes of Americana in a loveworn, weathered, and lived in way, with bits of cinematic, even horror-y drama. Vevers’s rather winter-ish resort collection is stuffed nostalgia-tinged fuzzy-soft cozy cable knits and full tweedy skirts with huge taffeta bows, rocking a Victoriana-goes-1950s vibe. Note how the oversized Argyle check knit polo shirts are designed to layer up at will, one of the many pieces in Vevers’ line-up denuded of gender specificity. Likewise the jewelry: diamanté bows and chandelier earrings to pin here, there, and everywhere, and single earrings with a delightfully kitschy quality to them – pumpkins, candy canes, essentially the John Waters-approved inventory of holiday tree decorations. For layering up with those sweaters Vevers suggests a ratty tee emblazoned with Popeye; it was inspired by a black and white image of Debbie Harry back in the day wearing a t-shirt with the pipe smoking, spinach loving cartoon character. Popeye isn’t the only pop cultural icon in play here as the designer was also looking at images of Twin Peaks stars Madchen Amick and Lara Flynn Boyle between takes, in their homespun, 1950s-esque looks warped by David Lynch.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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