Coach, Inc. is the designer of prestigious handbags, as well as briefcases, luggage, and other fashion accessories. The company has made a name for itself by making and selling high quality merchandise in traditional styles for many years. "Classic American style" is what the brand claims to be about. For this reason, Coach® remains one of the best-known leather brands in the United States.
In 1941, Coach® was founded as a family-run business in Manhattan, making small leather goods. The company started with just six leather workers making small bags. In 1960, Miles Cahn noticed the distinctive properties of the leather used to make baseball gloves. He adopted this type of leather to make bags that would wear longer and take dye better. This sturdy style of cowhide purses quickly became the company's signature product.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Coach® began using mail order to sell their bags while opening their first specialty stores. The company expanded overseas in 1988 with stores in Japan and England. In 1989, the sales reached $100 million US Dollars.
In 1992, Coach® expanded again to include outerwear and luggage. In 1997, the company entered into their first licensing agreement and began making Coach® watches. Coach.com was launched in 1999, giving tech-savvy shoppers a convenient way to purchase their favorite items.
Since Coach® is such a popular brand, there are many unscrupulous people trying to sell knockoff merchandise. Counterfeit Coach® purses have been a continual problem for the company, since these poor-quality copies degrade the brand's reputation. On a genuine Coach® bag, the letter C will be crooked and the two Cs will be touching.
Most Coach® purses have a serial number on the inside on a leather patch. These serial numbers will be embossed on a real bag. If it's simply printed in ink, the bag is a fake. The Coach® logo will be stamped on the metal hardware of the bags, except on one of the oldest designs.
Quality is the final indicator of whether or not a Coach® bag is legitimate. If the stitching looks sloppy, the bag is definitely a fake. A genuine Coach® bag is an investment piece that will last for many years.