Coach Taps James Franco as Face for Men’s Fragrance

James Franco has a new starring role as the face of Coach’s upcoming men’s fragrance, Coach for Men.

Coach tapped Franco because of his “harmonious dualities,” the company said, noting his rugged-yet-refined sensibility. The scent is set to launch for fall.

“Creativity is the way I engage with life,” Franco said. “It’s the way I engage with other people and communicate, and it’s really the way I find meaning in life. I enjoyed collaborating with Stuart [Vevers, creative director]. There are a lot of references to Coach tradition in his designs, but with an added spin, and that idea is something I have done in my creative work.”

“James is the quintessential-cool Coach guy,” said Vevers. “He’s handsome, there’s a bit of danger and he’s thoughtful and challenging, energetic and prolific. He represents so many of the references I’ve used at Coach — references of American style that resonate around the world.”

Coach branched into fragrance in 2016 with the launch of Coach Eau de Parfum, a mix of sparkling raspberry, Turkish roses and suede musk. That scent did $8 million in first-quarter sales for InterParfums, which holds the Coach fragrance license, and is still rolling out globally.

Coach chief executive officer Victor Luis noted that licensing is one of the things the brand can learn more about from its recently announced acquisition of Kate Spade. “Kate Spade has a broader licensed portfolio in categories we’re not present in. We can learn about those opportunities and how they manage them,” he said.

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