Our 2026 Coach Dream It Real Scholars, Joseph Coleman of Morehouse College, Lindsay Akinfenwa of Eastern Michigan University, Elise Warnke of Savannah College of Art and Design, Claire Galli of Marist University, and Colby Zur of Colorado State University, spent two days working with Coach this June, moving from a leather workshop floor in North Bergen, NJ, to the corporate offices at 10 Hudson Yards. The trip paired a hands-on leathercraft workshop with a look at how the craft can become a career.
On day one, Scholars visited the Coach (Re)Loved and Repair Workshop, where a team of Coach craftspeople walked Scholars through the machinery and techniques behind the brand's repair and reuse program. Kim Matsoukas from Coach's sustainability team opened the morning with a look at the company's goals before Scholars picked a pre-loved bag apiece and moved from station to station, learning the repair process the way Coach's own team does.
For Joseph, it recalibrated what he thought he understood about the category: "One thing that I learned that I did not fully know going into this experience was how intricate the process is for handcrafting leather goods. The amount of time and attention to detail needed from concept to creation is truly remarkable."
Claire was similarly struck by the scale of the operation. "I learned a lot about the (Re)Loved center and what goes on. I did not expect it to be such a big part of Coach. I loved seeing all the different steps that went into refurbishing a handbag."
THE AFTERNOON SHIFTED FROM REPAIR TO DESIGN
Scholars selected materials, sketched their own concepts against a board of past (Re)Loved pieces, and were each paired with a craftsperson to build a one-of-a-kind bag from scratch, finished with a "trashy charm," the small, playful detail that marks every (Re)Loved piece as one of one. The day closed with a group reflection, where Scholars presented what they'd made before heading back into the city for the evening.
2026 Coach Dream It Real Scholars (from left to right) Lindsay Jenkins, Elise Warnke, and Joseph Coleman display their one of a kind Coach (Re)Loved handbags. Photos courtesy of David Johnson
Day two moved the conversation from the workbench to the business behind it. At Hudson Yards, Diana Costescu, Director of Talent Acquisition, introduced Scholars to the Tapestry Apprenticeship Program, followed by a panel with Coach's design and product teams on how ideas move from a sketch to a shelf.
For Colby, that panel was the standout: "I enjoyed learning the different paths people have taken, both getting into the industry and where they end up in the industry. It was fun getting to hear the stories from people across departments in Coach."
Scholars then sat down for one-on-one portfolio reviews with Coach colleagues, bringing their own professional materials into the room for real feedback.
For Claire, those conversations added another dimension to the experience. "Receiving the award and being able to participate in this program have shaped my academic journey by teaching me so much about the industry, especially accessories. Being able to meet the Coach team and receive feedback from them has been great. It has also inspired me creatively through hands-on activities during the program, like refurbishing a handbag."
After lunch, Scholars walked to the Coach Hudson Yards store for a retail tour led by Shahbaz Zaidi. Scholars heard directly from store associates about how retail experience feeds into merchandising, buying, marketing, and corporate roles down the line, a reminder that a career in fashion rarely moves in a straight line from design school to design desk.
Later Scholars had the opportunity to sit down with David Wright, Tapestry’s Vice President of Advanced Technological Development. David shared insights into the inner workings of leather production and sourcing, and Scholars had the chance to ask direct questions, a rare opportunity to learn from one of the industry’s top leather experts.
Thank you to our partners at the Coach Foundation and Tapestry for creating such a meaningful experience for the 2026 Coach Dream It Real Scholars!
