The notion of camp and all its complexities has been batted around plenty in fashion over the last 12 months, thanks in no small part to this year’s Met gala theme. Coach creative director Stuart Vevers took on a much less complicated interpretation of the word for pre-fall, using the classic American campground as a starting point. Vevers was fresh from a five-day camping excursion in Peru when he presented the new collection at the brand’s showroom this morning, though the timing of the trip was largely coincidental. Ultimately, the new anoraks, puffer vests, and chunky-soled hiking sandals seemed best suited to an urban landscape. It was easy to picture the snug belted leather jackets in a cool downtown setting, for example. The retro-inspired tees printed with graphics of the New York skyline and the slogan “Big Apple Camp” spelled out that city-dwelling mood too.
After last season’s unabashed 1980s vibe, there was a softer, vaguely 1970s feeling about the clothes, starting with slinky striped knit cardigans and tank tops. The butterfly collar has been popping up all week—at Michael Kors and 3.1 Phillip Lim, just for starters. It showed up in more casual iterations here, with chambray shirting and suede jackets that were paired with structured A-line wrap skirts and more whimsical printed maxi skirts. One novelty print covered in classic luggage, drawn from what was a groovy, imagined archive, looked particularly good on wide-leg pajama pants.
Vevers took an outdoorsman’s approach to the handbags, creating tiny pouches that clipped to the brand’s classic cross-body purses with utilitarian carabiners. If micro-bags are here to stay, then the message here was two (three or even four) are better than one.
