Forget Bag Charms — Coach Makes the Case For Shoe Charms
We love to accessorize our accessories, from Balenciaga bags to Stanley cups.
Now, "charm-maxxing" has found its way to shoes — specifically, sneakers. At Coach's Spring/Summer 2025 show in New York, models walked the runway in low-tops outfitted with whimsical doodads shaped like cars, cassette tapes, and unicorns attached to the laces.
Coach's introduction of shoe charms comes a season after the brand's Empire Carryall (a burgeoning it-bag) made its debut, laden with apple and taxi cab keychains — references to New York City, the label's home base.
Coach offers a healthy selection of non-New York-themed bag charms, too. Think: strawberries, roses, cherries, and teddy bears.
Blame the ornament-ification of our bags on the late, great Jane Birkin, who outfitted her eponymous Hermès Birkin with strings of beads and other charms. After her death last July, photos of her decked-out purse began to circulate online, inspiring a younger generation to "Birkenify" their own handbags.
It's not just the Birkin that's fair game for accessorizing. Balenciaga's City bag is a popular pick, as is Louis Vuitton's Speedy.
While Coach's sneaker charms are a natural extension of the bag charm craze, shoe customization isn't a new phenomenon. Last year, we saw a slew of TikTokers zhuzh up their adidas Sambas with DIY touches like ribbon laces, pins, and embroidery.
Sure, the Samba may be shrinking from fashion's purview — but Coach's latest collection proves that tricked-out shoes are here to stay.
