Soho Bag

Style number

4082

Era

classic-nycE4

Introduced

1991

Discontinued

1997

Designer

in-house

Closure

hidden_magnetic_snap

Confidence

confirmed

Status

published

Soho Bag (Style 4082)

Lead

The Soho Bag (Style 4082) is the largest Coach bag of the early-1990s Lightweight Collection — a 17¼”×14½”×8½” softly-structured tote with hidden magnetic snap closure and adjustable double shoulder strap. The Holiday 1991 catalog explicitly calls it “Largest Coach bag” of that era [coach-catalogs-1960-1989]. Production ran from 1991 through 1997 per coacharchive.com [coacharchive-com].

History

The Soho Bag launched as part of Coach’s Lightweight Collection by Holiday 1991 (primary-confirmed via the Holiday 1991 catalog page 22). Coach’s brand-published Vintage Soho Bag re-release page [coach-vintage-soho] cites a 1994 introduction date — this likely refers to a specific reissue model (CU909) within Coach’s modern Coach Originals line, not the original 1991 Soho Bag 4082.

By 1993, Soho was a substantial sub-line within the Classic Collection — the Fall 1993 catalog Table of Contents lists “Soho Series” at pages 50-53. The Spring 1994 catalog also lists “Soho Series” at pages 60-65. By 1998 the line had expanded to include “Soho Small” sub-styles: Soho Small Zip (4104), Soho Small Satchel (4106), Soho Small Basket (4107), Soho Small Flap (4108).

Description

Per Holiday 1991 catalog (primary):

• Style number: 4082
• Price (1991): $228
• Dimensions: 17¼” × 14½” × 8½”
• Closure: Hidden magnetic snap closure
• Strap: Adjustable double shoulder strap, each strap with single buckle
• Inside zipper pocket
• Material: thinned glove-tanned cowhide (Lightweight Collection process)

Colors

Documented Holiday 1991 colors for Soho Bag:

• Berry, Black, Chamois, Cocoa, Ivy

The Lightweight Collection palette was distinct from the Classic Collection palette. The Soho Bag did NOT come in British Tan, Mahogany, Burgundy, or other Classic-Collection-standard colors at launch — it was specifically positioned for the Lightweight palette of warm earth tones plus Berry as a vibrant accent.

Authentication

For a Soho Bag claiming 1991-1997 production:

• Style 4082 in creed [coach-catalogs-1960-1989]
• Hidden magnetic snap closure — not turnlock, not zip, not springlock
• 17¼”×14½”×8½” silhouette — substantially larger than most Classic Collection bags
• Lightweight Collection palette colors — Berry / Black / Chamois / Cocoa / Ivy (or later Lightweight palette additions)
• Pre-1994 era: should bear the LEATHERWARE creed wordmark (1991-1993 production)
• Post-1994 era: letter-digit-letter style code (e.g., B6P-4082 would be Feb of either 1996 or 2006 — single-digit year ambiguity; cross-check with creed wording per authentication/serial-numbers.md)

A bag claiming to be a Soho 4082 with a creed reading just “COACH” (no LEATHERWARE) is post-1994. A bag claiming Soho 4082 with a 1991 era LEATHERWARE creed is consistent with the launch year.

Designer

In-house. NOT a Bonnie Cashin design — Cashin’s contract ended 1974; Soho launched 1991. Designer attribution is confirmed to in-house team operating during the Sara Lee era (Frankfort president, Krakoff not yet at Coach until December 1996).

Variants and related models

The Soho Series expanded over its 1991-1997 run:

• Soho Bag 4082 (the original, 1991)
• Soho Small Zip 4104 (1998)
• Soho Small Satchel 4106 (1998)
• Soho Small Basket 4107 (1998)
• Soho Small Flap 4108 (1998)

Plus other named pieces in the Soho Series across 1993-1997 (per Fall 1993 catalog TOC) — full roster pending additional catalog deep-readings.

Sources

• coach-catalogs-1960-1989 — Holiday 1991 catalog page 22, primary source for Soho Bag 4082 introduction year, price, dimensions, colors, closure type
• coach-vintage-soho — Coach.com brand-published page citing 1994 for the modern reissue (CU909), distinct from the original 4082
• coacharchive-com — Tier 3 reference site documenting Soho Bag production run as 1991-1997