Coach is doubling down on its Soho sneaker as the shoe continues to resonate with its Gen Z target customers.
“We’ve taken the learnings from how we amplified our New York family of handbags and expanded the strategy to our footwear – specifically our Soho sneaker,” Todd Kahn, chief executive officer and brand president of Coach, said during the brand’s parent company Tapestry Inc.’s investor day last week.
“It starts with insights,” Kahn maintained. “And the insights we gained noted that if we want to win with Gen Z, 50 percent of the Gen Z closet is sneakers.”
The Soho sneaker continued to lead Coach’s offerings in footwear during the brand’s spring 2026 show at New York Fashion Week on Monday.
Coach’s Soho sneaker seen on the brand’s spring 2026 runway during New York Fashion Week.
Armando Grillo / Gorunway.com
For spring 2026, Coach reimagined the Soho sneaker with straps instead of laces, and offered in leather and suede, as well as Dalmatian print and in metallic foil finishes. Several pairs of the Soho also featured leather appliques of hearts, skyscapes and balloons that refer back to the collection’s organza dresses.
Scott Roe, chief financial officer and chief operating officer of Tapestry, Inc., said during the investor day that footwear is a “large and growing” category for the company.
“For us, that [growth] is mostly sneakers,” Roe said during his presentation at investor day. “We like this for a couple of other reasons. Not only is it a great growing category, but the frequency of purchase is significantly higher. So, there are more opportunities, or touch points, for us to talk to our consumers and interact with them. Also, that target Gen Z consumer loves this category, and they’re very attached to it. So, when you look at how do we access and find more ways to acquire consumers, this is one of the vehicles with which we can acquire those new consumers.”
Pressed by analysts on if sneakers are just a boost for Coach’s women’s business, Kahn reiterated that Coach’s Soho and High Line sneaker models – it’s top two styles in the category – are all-gender.
“If you saw our recent campaign starring Charles Melton, it was targeted at selling the men’s sneaker and had massive appeal,” Kahn said. “So, you’ll hear us keep talking in the future more about our men’s, but we like our brand positioning here.”
Launched in June, Coach’s “Not Just for Walking” campaign starring a shirtless Melton referenced Hollywood thrillers. In the campaign film, Melton is seen running lines for a project but is under distress due to a paparazzo outside his home. He comes up with the idea to leave his Soho Sneakers beneath a curtain as a decoy, allowing him the opportunity to slip out barefoot and escape in his car – with another pair of Soho sneakers waiting for him in the convertible alongside a script.
Charles Melton in Coach’s “Not Just For Walking” campaign.
Courtesy of Coach
Melton’s appearance marked the continuation of Coach’s debut Soho sneaker campaign, which launched in April and showcased singer and rapper Audrey Nuna, model Giovanna Ramos, college basketball player Tahaad Pettiford, WNBA player Satou Sabally and NASCAR driver Toni Breidinger.
The sneakers, worn by other fashion-forward celebrities Bella Hadid and Ella Hemhoff, find inspiration in the cross-training sneakers from the late 1980s and early ’90s. The shoes were introduced on the spring 2025 runway, prior to their appearance in stores earlier this year.
