Coach Gets Exclusive With Saks and Rumors of a Collabo With J.C. Penney

Saks Fifth Avenue has been tapped by Coach to be the exclusive retailer for the Reed Krakoff line that will debut this fall. This exclusive arrangement will last for six months, after which Saks will continue to have some form of exclusivity when distribution of the brand widens.

But the news that has the fashion blogosphere buzzing is the rumor that Coach may collaborate with J.C. Penney on an accessories collection:

Coach chairman and chief executive officer Lew Frankfort — spotted chatting with Penney’s chairman and ceo Myron E. “Mike” Ullman 3rd at the Mandarin Hotel, scene of Thursday’s night Global Department Store Summit dinner — acknowledged a collaboration is a possibility, but he stressed it would not be under the Coach label and it would have to be a new brand for the new channel. Ullman said nothing after Frankfort made his comment.

So, what will this new brand be called? According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, since December 2009, the company has registered three trademarks: "Ribbon", "Sonoma" and "510". The goods and services that could be launched under these trademarks range from accessories such as handbags, wallets and backpacks, and, in the case of the "510" trademark, beauty products and clothing. Coach aficionados will recognize the "Sonoma" name from the company's Sonoma Collection of the late '90s. Might Coach revive that line for J.C. Penney? Time will tell.


Disclosure: Haute Retail holds positions in Coach, Inc.