Featuring films starring Global Ambassadors Elle Fanning, Storm Reid, Paige Bueckers, Shan Yichun, Lilas, and SOYEON. Co-created with Global Gen Z voices and featuring a collection of readable book charms.
Coach introduces “Explore Your Story,” the brand’s Spring 2026 campaign shaped by global listening to Gen Z and co-created with communities worldwide. Spanning cultural partnerships from the United States to China, “Explore Your Story” features Coach’s iconic Tabby bag and introduces a new collection of readable book charms.
Inspired by a renewed cultural embrace of long-form storytelling, “Explore Your Story” taps into a growing tension: Gen Z lives in a short-form, fast-paced digital world, and yet they are increasingly turning back toward books as a way to explore identity, self-expression, and possibility. Through the campaign, Coach champions storytelling as a way to express all of who you are and have the Courage to Be Real, creating room for connection through shared experiences: from books and book clubs to digital communities and campus conversations.
“One of the clearest insights we heard from Gen Z globally is how central storytelling is to how they make sense of who they are—and who they’re becoming,” said Joon Silverstein, Coach Chief Marketing Officer. “In a world shaped by fragmentation, digital overload, and constant acceleration, many described books and long-form storytelling as a refuge—a way to slow down, reflect, and feel a sense of belonging. ‘Explore Your Story’ grew from that insight, and from our desire to show up alongside this generation as they find the confidence to write their own narratives.”
Six boundary-breaking members of the Coach community star in the two films that anchor the campaign. Returning global ambassadors include Academy Award-nominated actress and producer Elle Fanning, Emmy-winning actress and producer Storm Reid, Korean artist, singer-songwriter and producer SOYEON, and Japanese singer-songwriter Lilas. They are joined by Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers, now in an expanded role with the brand, and Shan Yichun, a breakthrough Chinese singer who joins Coach for the first time. Together, they span film, music and sport, and each embody Coach’s grounding purpose: The Courage to Be Real.
Directed by Marcus Ibanez, the two campaign films bring storytelling to life through intimate vignettes that show how a powerful story can shift perspectives, spark possibility and foster community. As each cast member reads a book, the world transforms around her, showing how stories can inspire courage and connection. Each book featured is mirrored by a matching, readable book charm, part of Coach’s new collection, which hangs from each protagonist’s Tabby bag. The films are complemented by a suite of still imagery captured by award-winning photographer Elaine Constantine.
Coach’s iconic Tabby bag is a key part of “Explore Your Story”, appearing across campaign content and IRL experiences with a new twist: the brand has introduced a collection of readable book charms that let consumers wear their Tabby with a story worth sharing. The collection includes miniature, readable book charms featuring titles from around the world selected for their narratives around self-expression and chosen collaboratively with Gen Z consumers worldwide.
At the heart of “Explore Your Story” is a belief that stories bring people together—and they become more powerful when more voices join in. To help shape the campaign and select the book charm titles, Coach partnered with Gen Z–led communities and cultural platforms to amplify and deepen the campaign message, creating shared spaces where stories of self-expression can be explored together.
“Storytelling doesn’t happen in silos, and neither does self-expression,” said Silverstein. “We intentionally brought together partners from different parts of culture—fashion, literature, sport, and digital culture because Gen Z doesn’t experience identity in one lane. Our role isn’t to speak for communities, but to create shared spaces where many voices can come together around a belief in the power of storytelling and the courage it takes to be real.”
The campaign goes further with a series of global experiences designed to bring Gen Z together in real life. “Explore Your Story” will extend onto college campuses across the U.S., Asia and beyond through the “Coach Tabby Tour: Explore Your Story Edition”, a traveling community hub where students can connect, share stories, and take part in campaign programming. In Coach stores, the brand reimagines its Customization Bars as Coach Book Nooks, introducing new ways for consumers to personalise bags, book charms, and bookmarks. The Coach Foundation’s annual Dream Day events will also carry the campaign forward around the world. Titled “Write Your Next Chapter”, Dream Day 2026 will bring together young people in the foundation’s Dream It Real programme for a day of community-building, mentorship and story-focused workshops designed to help them author their futures with confidence.