Cole Haan for the Consumer's Soul

A few days ago the nice folks over at Cole Haan invited me to their showroom to peruse the Fall 2010 collection. Smart people they are, using my weakness for beautiful leather and modern vintage to their advantage. But I cannot hate, only appreciate -- because Cole Haan is my #1 go-to and I'll give you three simple reasons why.

1. No Frills -- Just simple, elegant and classic. Whether you're a lady or a dude (or a tramp), if you've got your head screwed on right, you know that classic trumps flashy any day. Yes, of course, Cole Haan has the token leopard print and glittery pieces, but as far as building a classic collection that will never go out of style -- this brand does no wrong.

2. Transcendence -- It's tough to put borders around this collection. Because it's so classic, the targeted consumer feels like an unusually broad concept. There's nothing about the pieces that dictate age -- they're not just for young people or just for old. Many of them have a unisex vibe, blurring the lines between what one might think of as purely masculine or feminine. Not to mention, the pieces completely transcend time and trends -- for many of the items in this collection, I wouldn't be able to tell if they're polished up vintage pieces, or beautifully aged new ones.

3. Guess what? There isn't a third. If you read the above two and you know what's good for you, you know that's all you need. I snapped some pics and these are my favs. Take a looksie:

Nourishes the consumer's soul, don't it? It's earthy, it's raw, it's funky, it's elegant, it's fresh and it's timeless. Collection hits stores in August.

Happy shopping.