Coach Leatherware

Coach was first known as Gail, which began its story in New York City in 1941. The brand produced small leather goods, such as wallets and toiletry kits, as a private label business. In the late 1950s, Gail launched Coach Leatherware, still producing similar small leather goods, but this time under their own name. Coach was headed by Miles Cahn, and with the help of his wife Lillian, they decided to venture into women's handbags in the early 60s. They approached Bonnie Cashin to embark on this endeavor together, and in 1962 they would release their first handbag collection.

Bonnie Cashin, known in American sportswear for introducing the concept of layering, incorporating industrial hardware into her designs, and for her unique approach to aesthetic functionality, thus became Coach's first lead designer. Her partnership with Coach Leatherware spanned over a decade, lasting from 1962-1974.

This collection is by no means complete, and will continue to be updated.

Coach's first "Cashin-Carry" collection with Bonnie launched in Fall of 1962, and was an instant success! Through the remainder of the decade, these coveted Cashin-Carry bags would continue to see new Spring and Fall releases. Some styles stuck around longer than others, and below I have the bags listed in the time period of earliest release.

While Coach produced leather goods from a variety of quality hides, the brand is most famous for their iconic glove tanned cowhide; a soft, durable leather that developed a beautiful patina with use, much like that of a well-worn baseball glove. Beginning in the late 1950s, glove tanned cowhide was used to produce a variety of men's leather goods such as wallets, toiletry cases, desk accessories, etc. This remarkable glove tanned cowhide would go on to be used for their handbags, though other leathers were also employed for Bonnie's Cashin-Carry line, such as a crushed cowhide and harness leather.

 From the early-mid 60s, crushed cowhide was the primary leather of choice for the Cashin-Carry bags. This was a top grain cowhide that was soft, supple, and available in a wide array of colors. In the late 60s there was a shift from using crushed cowhide to a new preference for harness leather. Of course, other leathers such as water buffalo, suede, select exotics, and special textiles all have their own moments.  

Note: Some crushed cowhide small leather goods (wallets, etc) were stamped "Glove Tanned Cowhide", though the leather is noticeably different than what we typically see for glove tanned pieces. Perhaps this was a subtle branding move, as Coach often didn't stamp their own name on these smaller pieces during this era. 

In 1970 we see the introduction of  "Soft Sacs"; large, supple bags crafted in the glove tanned cowhide Coach has become so famous for. These glove tanned bags were not lined, specifically so the quality of the leather could speak for itself. Eventually, the entire lineup of bags would be made of glove tanned leather, and the bright colors and striped lining Bonnie was known for disappears. One might wonder if this change correlates with Bonnie's exit, though those details remain up for speculation. 

Note: It's unclear if every style during this period is a Bonnie Cashin design. What we do know is that Bonnie Cashin's name was included on the Coach catalogs through 1972. For simplicity, I'll be including all styles through 1974 (the last year that Bonnie partnered with Coach).

Have a Bonnie Cashin for Coach not shown here?

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Header photo credit: Aaron Richter for Fortune