Memory Lane: What was your first Coach?

[VintageViv]

Sorry if there is already a thread like this. I looked for one and couldn't find it, so I started this one!

I was feeling a bit nostalgic and I went online to try to ID the first Coach I ever bought-- and looks like I found it! Here's some pix I snagged from an Asian sales page (not sure which country it was). It's a suede tote, style number 8E93. I bought mine with a gift certificate at Christmas in 2005, I believe. I loved it but the light suede collected dirt and dye transfers like CRAZY. It was such a pain to keep it clean. So after the first year or so, I rarely carried it, and several years later when I was downsizing my wardrobe, I donated it to my church's thrift store. I have to say though I sort of regret it now as it was my very first Coach. But tbh I don't think I would buy another one pre-loved because the totes I have seen online look pretty beat up. These picture were the nicest looking pictures I could find. Guess I was not the only one who had trouble keeping my suede bag clean!

Please share a pic/story of your first Coach. I'd love to know what your "gateway drug" was!

 

[shellindc]

My first Coach was a Soho flap satchel, red, F10913. I bought in NWT on eBay, b/c I saw it online and liked it--didn't know anything about Coach, or factory stores, at the time. I ended up selling it many years later b/c the flap was hard to manage--I prefer a zip bag, or no closure at all (which I learned after carrying this bag). Plus, it didn't have a long strap, and the short straps were not practical for me on a day to day basis. As much as I realize this bag wasn't a perfect fit, it was still my first Coach love and from time to time I miss it. It's such a beautiful red and the silver hardware is gorgeous.

 

[bolsathemosta]

It Was a big blue hobo bag. I cant remember the name but I wore it out...took me at least five years to do it. Honestly I didn't respect my handbags much until my 30's when I started purchasing them for myself. I burned through 5 light colored Fendi's in my 20's. The same boyfriend kept buying these delicate thin strapped Ivory and tan bags for me in Hope's I'd wear something besides black and grey.
I had a lovely vintage coach backpack I would take skateboarding and I stuck stickers and pins all over it.
I still have my first dooney though a green and brown AWL satchel. Trying to fine a new strap for it so I can use it some more

 

[VintageViv]

My first Coach was a Soho flap satchel, red, F10913. I bought in NWT on eBay, b/c I saw it online and liked it--didn't know anything about Coach, or factory stores, at the time. I ended up selling it many years later b/c the flap was hard to manage--I prefer a zip bag, or no closure at all (which I learned after carrying this bag). Plus, it didn't have a long strap, and the short straps were not practical for me on a day to day basis. As much as I realize this bag wasn't a perfect fit, it was still my first Coach love and from time to time I miss it. It's such a beautiful red and the silver hardware is gorgeous. View attachment 4703123

Ooh yes that red looks luscious! And I love the hardware details on Soho bags.

 

[VintageViv]

It Was a big blue hobo bag. I cant remember the name but I wore it out...took me at least five years to do it. Honestly I didn't respect my handbags much until my 30's when I started purchasing them for myself. I burned through 5 light colored Fendi's in my 20's. The same boyfriend kept buying these delicate thin strapped Ivory and tan bags for me in Hope's I'd wear something besides black and grey.
I had a lovely vintage coach backpack I would take skateboarding and I stuck stickers and pins all over it.
I still have my first dooney though a green and brown AWL satchel. Trying to fine a new strap for it so I can use it some more

Nice! I collect vintage AWL Dooneys and have found some replacement parts on Ebay. Good luck with your strap search!

 

[CoachMaven]

My first is this red one on the right, the Girlie Hobo. It's 19 yrs old and looks brand new.

 

[bolsathemosta]

Nice! I collect vintage AWL Dooneys and have found some replacement parts on Ebay. Good luck with your strap search!

I usually get lucky at the thrift store finding good straps on fake dooneys or just really beat up ones. Lucky and fossil bags sometimes have the right kind of strap I need. The one I need now is the closed brass ring with the attachment on the bag instead of the strap. It's been hard to locate.

 

[Teagaggle]

My first was the Coach Borough in Alpine Moss.
It was my first designer bag ever (to be honest, I don't even remember what style bag I carried before I started my journey with Coach).
I was new to Coach, so I was unfamiliar with the sales that they had at the time, whatever they may have been. I just remember going in and thinking how expensive the bag was. I would try my things in it carry it around and leave empty handed. I did that several times before I finally purchased it. Come to think of it, I'm not even sure now that I purchased it at Coach. I might have gotten it on eBay, but it was new. I subsequently got several more Burough bags, which in my opinion, is one of the best bags Coach ever made. I have some of my minis, but what I carry is much less so I parted with my original a few years back.
Looking for more info on this bag is also what led me to this forum, which is now part of my daily routine.
Getting the feels all over! Great thread!

 

[Morgan_Bellini]

My first Coach was a sand colored zebra print Legacy Duffle. I went from carrying strictly Target store purses to this exquisite Coach and I have never, ever looked back. I think I bought it as a weight loss reward when I had lost 50 pounds several years ago. Maybe 2013? I remember just caressing the leather and being so impressed by how soft and thick and luxurious it felt compered to the pleather Target bags I had carried all my life before this. Even the canvas felt very high quality. I didnt carry it for very long before I brushed it against a dirty car in a parking lot and smudged it. So I bought another Legacy Duffle in Deep Port and carried that one instead. It was all leather, so it was much easier to keep clean. I still have both bags, stored in dust bags in my dresser, but I have since developed an obsession with vintage Coach so that's mostly what I buy now.

 

[inkfade]

I only recently got into handbags (previously I would carry cheap, ratty bags for years at a time), so my first designer bag and also Coach bag was the Nomad crossbody in aubergine:

I remember it very well: my black Relic crossbody bag ($8 from Kohl's after stacked coupons) was literally falling apart after years of use so I was on a quest to find a new bag. I wanted purple this time because it's my favorite color so just began googling "purple crossbody bags" and this was one of the first images to pop up. I immediately fell head over heels in love with it--the shape, the color, the material. I saw it was Coach, thought "Oooo, that's one of those fancy labels" and went looking for more info on it. Despite the fact I had never spent more than $15-20 on a bag EVER, I bought the first one I saw on eBay and it was only $100 from about the $400 retail price. It was in immaculate condition. This bag started my journey into higher priced handbags and I haven't looked back. I will say, though, I just this week decided to sell this bag, along with a few others I've acquired over the past few years. Time for me to cull my handbag collection. I still like the bag, but I just don't reach for it anymore.

 

[shellindc]

Nomad crossbody in aubergine. I wanted purple this time because it's my favorite color so just began googling "purple crossbody bags" and this was one of the first images to pop up. I immediately fell head over heels in love with it--the shape, the color, the material. I will say, though, I just this week decided to sell this bag, along with a few others I've acquired over the past few years. Time for me to cull my handbag collection. I still like the bag, but I just don't reach for it anymore.

That bag is GORGEOUS. I too am culling the herd, and it's bittersweet. At least I have time to do it, considering what's going on in the world.

 

[VintageViv]

My first is this red one on the right, the Girlie Hobo. It's 19 yrs old and looks brand new. View attachment 4703210

Beautiful bag!

 

[VintageViv]

My first was the Coach Borough in Alpine Moss.
It was my first designer bag ever (to be honest, I don't even remember what style bag I carried before I started my journey with Coach).
I was new to Coach, so I was unfamiliar with the sales that they had at the time, whatever they may have been. I just remember going in and thinking how expensive the bag was. I would try my things in it carry it around and leave empty handed. I did that several times before I finally purchased it. Come to think of it, I'm not even sure now that I purchased it at Coach. I might have gotten it on eBay, but it was new. I subsequently got several more Burough bags, which in my opinion, is one of the best bags Coach ever made. I have some of my minis, but what I carry is much less so I parted with my original a few years back.
Looking for more info on this bag is also what led me to this forum, which is now part of my daily routine.
Getting the feels all over! Great thread!
View attachment 4703260

Alpine Moss is a great color! I think dark shades of green make beautiful "honorary neutrals'.

 

[VintageViv]

My first Coach was a sand colored zebra print Legacy Duffle. I went from carrying strictly Target store purses to this exquisite Coach and I have never, ever looked back. I think I bought it as a weight loss reward when I had lost 50 pounds several years ago. Maybe 2013? I remember just caressing the leather and being so impressed by how soft and thick and luxurious it felt compered to the pleather Target bags I had carried all my life before this. Even the canvas felt very high quality. I didnt carry it for very long before I brushed it against a dirty car in a parking lot and smudged it. So I bought another Legacy Duffle in Deep Port and carried that one instead. It was all leather, so it was much easier to keep clean. I still have both bags, stored in dust bags in my dresser, but I have since developed an obsession with vintage Coach so that's mostly what I buy now.

50lbs certainly deserves a Coach bag! That's awesome and lovely bag.

 

[VintageViv]

That bag is GORGEOUS. I too am culling the herd, and it's bittersweet. At least I have time to do it, considering what's going on in the world.

I know what you mean. My problem is every once in awhile I decide to cull my bags and so I get them out of their dust bags to inspect and I fall in love all over again so I end up keeping them.