In childhood, our love for clothes reveals itself in the way they’re worn. The holes in our sneakers and socks, the tears in our denim, the loose threads that hang from the seams of our favorite dresses. At New York Fashion Week, Coach turns back the clock, preserving the charm of the childhood wardrobe for Fall 2026.

Inspired by his nostalgic memories of The Wizard of Oz, Creative Director Stuart Vevers brings many of the treasured souvenirs from the American youth experience to the runway. “This past Christmas, I was watching The Wizard of Oz with my children (something I’ve done since I was a child myself),” Vevers shares in Coach’s shownotes, “when something struck me: the fear, joy, and hope of one’s world suddenly evolving into complexity and color is universal. No matter who we are, we step through the threshold together.”

Photography by Isidore Montag

The most beloved pieces are those that are passed down, hand-me-downs from an older sibling or a distant relative. The wardrobe of adolescence is lived in, reworn, questioned, and rethought, very rarely new or seemingly untouched. Tattered and torn cotton tees, frayed pant hems, and scuffed shoes are the imperfect evidence of the familiarities that make up the all-American childhood experience.

“With its transition from haunting Film Noir sepia to brilliant, Oz-ian Technicolor, this season channels a shared sense of optimism as we follow a new generation into their next adventure,” says Vevers. “We embrace the continuous reinvention of what it means to be young and forward-looking, resourceful and creative.”

As with most seasons, the Fall 2026 collection features its plethora of hallmark accessories. Oversized, kiss-lock coin purses are the starring act: some classic remakes, childishly squished in models’ hands, while others are hidden as a softened baseball glove, reworked with the kiss-lock closure. And in footwear, high-top sneakers and their paired socks are run-down and beaten, seemingly by the carefree comfort we once enjoyed as children.

Photography by Isidore Montag

Muted tartan plaid and striped prints reign as the season’s essential patterns, covering still-wrinkled, unshapely dresses, unstiffened blazer jackets, and a ballooning A-line skirt. The American heritage star is a recurring emblem, pinned to leather ties and collars, and cut into sheer shapes on dresses.

The whims of the collection are also embraced through its androgynous styling. As in adolescence, binary takes a back seat while blazers are swapped and universally unbuttoned, and silhouettes are loose and undistinct.

The Fall 2026 season is timeless in sentimentality and nostalgically quaint. Its familiarity surpasses generation, geography, and gender, celebrating the relatable oddities of childhood and the sacredness of the hand-me-down.

Photography by Isidore Montag