Last week, Coach went big for the drop of the latest collaborative collection with its first global face of Coach menswear, Michael B Jordan, the first-of-its-kind Coach x Michael B. Jordan creative collaboration, inspired by Jordan’s love of Naruto, a popular Japanese anime and manga.
Not only was the Coach store in Pavilion KL donned up from head to toe with facade designs from the collection, topped with its own pop-up store at Level 3 of the mall, we also caught sight of a KL Hop-On Hop-Off bus with the Coach x MBJ x Naruto collection rolling by.
Today, we take a closer look at the collection, a unisex ready-to-wear, footwear and bag range that is Jordan’s first foray into fashion design, guided by the expertise of Coach Creative Director Stuart Vevers.
Created in partnership with VIZ Media, the collection combines Coach craftsmanship with Jordan’s affinity for functional fashion and graphic codes from the world of Naruto. These references tie back to the story of Naruto Uzumaki himself, a young ninja who begins his journey as an outsider and earns the respect of his community as he works with his friends to protect it. The backstory speaks closely to Jordan’s own narrative as an outlier building bridges inside and outside of the Hollywood establishment, and echoes Coach’s commitment to community and courage.
The Coach x MBJ collection features imagery of characters from Naruto, as well as the series’ trademark “eye” motifs reimagined with Coach’s Retro C graphic. Pieces from the collection include outerwear of parkas, jean jackets and pullovers, infused with technical details like removable sleeves, tactical straps and elastic closures. Not to mention, accessories like backpacks, utility packs and hybrid sneaker boots.
