About this episode

Todd Kahn discusses the strategic turnaround of Coach and its focus on Gen Z consumers.

Todd Kahn took over the commercial responsibility for Coach in March of 2020. Two weeks later, he closed all North America stores. Today, Coach CEO Todd Kahn sits down with Sammi to break down the strategy behind one of fashion’s biggest brand turnarounds, and why Coach had to do the exact opposite of conventional growth advice to pull it off. He explains why trying to be “for everyone” almost destroyed the brand, how flash sales quietly trained customers to wait for discounts, and why the company stopped greeting shoppers with coupons entirely during the pandemic. Todd also shares how Coach rebuilt itself for Gen Z through “expressive luxury,” viral bags like the Tabby and Brooklyn, immersive retail experiences, and unexpected ideas like coffee shops, book charms, and co-creation stations inside stores. Plus: the real reason Gen Z shops in person more than people think, why virality can’t be engineered, and the internal operating system Todd uses to run a nearly $7 billion business. Follow Sammi Cohen on Instagram Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter Follow the Coach branding masterclass Here’s What Sammi Covers with Todd: 00:00 Todd Kahn’s Social Currency 02:30 From…

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