Fashionable Facelift: Coach Re-Opens Better Than Ever

Coach has been a celebrated luxury brand since 1941, but, sometimes, a refresh is in order — not any of its sumptuous handbags, but our very own Chicago store. The 6,385-square-foot Mag Mile location shut down for a while to be transformed into a robust shopper's paradise for women — and men. Displays are more eye-catching (and digital, in some cases), ceilings create a more open feel, and there's a super-cool mix of vintage and custom fixtures, which bridges where the brand began to where it is now.

While you lose yourself in the boutique-style shoe salon (we fell in LOVE with these Tristen heels!), your man can sort through outer wear and small, leather goods in the more masculine men's section, which is patterned after the original Coach Men's shop on Bleecker Street in New York City.

Call it perfect timing, but the new store launched simultaneously with Coach's new fall 2012 Legacy collection, which pays homage to iconic bag silhouettes that put Coach on the map in the first place. The line also includes small, leather goods, jewelry, and footwear for women and men, making it Coach's first dual-gender collection. How's that for making it just a little bit easier to go shopping with your main squeeze?

We headed over to the opening party last night to check out this fine, new, retail establishment and all its treasures. While we highly suggest you make it over to see the goods for yourself, enjoy this store preview without leaving your computer.