The Coach Empire carryall like the Hermès Birkin comes in four sizes without the hefty price tag or the waitlist
TikTok has christened a new “it bag,” and a pretty good contender to the classic Birkin at that: the Coach Empire.
The carryall comes in four sizes (26, 35, 40, and 48) and made its debut in February at New York Fashion Week. According to Coach’s creative director Stuart Vevers, who shared a behind-the-scenes look at how the bag was conceptualized, the Empire is made with a softer version of the brand’s signature glovetanned leather. He also shared that a new model made out of a new material—full-grain natural leather—is out.
TikTok users compared the bag’s structure, paneling, and lapel accent to Hermès’ iconic bag and The Row’s slouchier model, the Margaux. This lore has made it an instant bestseller, prompting sold-out sales.
The Coach Empire 26, the smallest of the lineup, starts at $450. The bigger sizes, 40 and 48, are sold for $695 and $895 respectively but are very hard to source even from Coach’s website. The bag comes in colorways like honey, maple, black, and merlot, an homage to leather’s natural finishes, said Vevers.
“This season in leather goods, we explored archetypes—a hobo, carryall, a briefcase, backpack—that feel timeless and could be found in someone’s closet from many years ago but still feel relevant today,” Vevers said in a video shared on social media.
Empire along with other bags introduced this season come with charms inspired by New York City souvenirs: apples, yellow taxis, pretzels, leather “Coach” NYC postcards, and the Statue of Liberty.