Coach is an American brand that was founded in 1941 in Manhattan. Coach originally created handbags using a new type of leather called glove leather; a material which was produced and tanned in the same way as a traditional baseball glove. In creating this leather, Coach not only created one of the most durable leather handbags on the market, it also made their handbags age beautifully.
Coach has gone on to be one of the most successful American luxury goods companies still in operation today. With a wide variety of designs in their archive (both fabric and leather), there are many vintage Coach handbags out in circulation to choose from, and alas, also many fakes floating around out there as well. If you are looking to invest in what you believe is a vintage Coach handbag but are unsure of the provenance, here are a few helpful tips to guide your decision to either purchase the bag, or leave it on the shelf.
1. Check for a serial number on the inside label Although there are some bags that date to pre-1970 that came-out before Coach placed serial numbers on their inside label as a matter of routine, most Coach bags that you see in circulation these days all have a serial number on the inside label.
2. Check the signature design fabric Generally, Coach only puts its signature “CC” logo either on the outside or the inside of a bag, never both. If a logo fabric bag also has a logo fabric lining, it is probably a fake.
3. Check the zippers Coach almost exclusively uses YKK zippers. The YKK should be engraved on the side of the zipper.
This is a very loose guide, and should only be a guide, as the recruiters are exceptions to each of these guidelines. If any doubt in your mind, contact an actual authenticator.
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