It’s been said that everything old is new again, and this sentiment certainly applies to Coach. Just ask any of the chic 20- and 30-something Brooklynites seen sporting vintage-inspired pieces from the American heritage leather-goods house in recent years.

Founded in 1941 as a small workshop in Manhattan’s Garment District, Coach was led in its early years by Lillian and Miles Cahn, who started working for the company in 1946 and bought it in 1961. The Cahns’ contributions to the emerging brand were twofold: Intrigued by the way the soft leather of a baseball glove gets better with time—instead of breaking down, developing a rich patina—they created a proprietary process for tanning skins so that they would retain their strength and elasticity; the couple also brought on Bonnie Cashin as head designer, and she launched a retail collection in 1962. During her 13-year tenure, Cashin introduced such practical innovations as turn-locks and outside pockets on her Cashin-Carry bags. By the early 1980s, customers were queuing up at Coach shops in Manhattan and the Hamptons to get their hands on a shoulder bag, wallet, or briefcase built to last a lifetime (which, with repairs at little to no cost offered at the time, they did).

The brand jetted to a headier level of international prestige when, in 1996, its new creative director, Reed Krakoff, came on board to help transform Coach from a $500 million-a-year accessories label into a $4 billion international lifestyle empire. Largely, he did this through the introduction of C-emblazoned merchandise across diverse product categories, from sunglasses and luggage to shoes and outerwear.

In 2009, Krakoff launched an eponymous label with Coach’s backing, and in 2013 parted ways with the company. Stuart Vevers, formerly the creative director of LVMH’s Loewe, arrived the same year, getting straight to work on a ready-to-wear collection that has found fans among the fashion cognoscenti and raised the fortunes of the all-American brand, which celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2016.

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