Explore Your Story
Banned books as wearable statement pieces
Luxury today is defined not by exclusivity, but by the emotional value objects carry. Coach is an accessible luxury brand with a clearly defined Gen Z audience. And as their desire to explore and define identity shifts from status signaling to self-expression, Coach transformed a product into a deeply personal storytelling piece.
Freedom of expression is increasingly under threat. Across the US and beyond, more books are being banned or challenged than in recent history. Many of them explore themes of gender, race, and diversity. These are the exact stories that Gen Z uses to understand themselves and the world around them. This is a generation that is turning to stories to explore and define identity, fueling a renewed love for physical books, making them the most engaged reading generation. Through communities like BookTok, books have become a social movement, where identity is expressed through what you read.
In a unique partnership with publisher Penguin Random House, we created a collection of fully readable book charms. Banned titles exploring themes of gender, diversity, and identity, became bold wearable statements of self-expression.
The book charms were teased during New York Fashion Week, where front-row ambassadors wore and read the book charms, sparking immediate interest and pre-sale buzz driven entirely by audience engagement.
At launch, the collection evolved into a series of real-world experiences, bringing Gen Z together through college campus tours, traveling community hubs, and story-led sessions. Designed to move beyond passive consumption, these experiences encouraged young people to express themselves, share stories, access mentorship, and connect with one another.
By uniting fashion and literature, craftsmanship and culture, Coach redefined accessible luxury, shifting aspiration from what you own to what you choose to say about yourself.
Campaign summary
Driving engagement: 400k+ user generated posts
Gen Z Acquisition: +51%
Increased sales: +25%.
Location
Sweden