Storm Reid Discusses Gen Z Storytelling in Coach's "Explore Your Story" Campaign

Storm Reid Coach Spring 2026 Campaign — (Image credit: Coach)

Say what you want about Gen Z, but you can't deny they've mastered the art of storytelling. Emmy Award–winning actress and producer Storm Reid would say the same—she has her camera off during our Zoom call, but I can still tell she's nodding in agreement when we discuss how misunderstood this generation is. "We're underestimated, we're curious, and we care, and we're constantly searching for meaning in the right things, and how to take up space in the right way," she tells me. "We're kind of born into the age of social media, so I think that's where the sentiment comes from that we're just always on our phones [or] always on TikTok. Maybe we're on TikTok, but we're trying to learn something."

Contrary to popular belief, the most online generation does, in fact, read. No, not just headlines and social media captions—they're reading books and starting book clubs. Their love of nostalgia leads to more than just aesthetically pleasing film photo dumps; it has cultivated a return to physical books as a way to explore identity, expression, and creativity.

Coach's newest campaign, "Explore Your Story," embraces this cultural trend with a fresh collection of readable book charms you can attach to the brand's illustrious Tabby Bag—or any bag, for that matter. Yes, I'm referring to the tiny, full-length books that dominated the front row at the Coach Fall 2026 Ready-to-Wear Show. The collection includes 12 bookish bag charms featuring titles like Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Jandy Nelson's I'll Give You the Sun, Natsu Miyashita’s A Forest of Wool and Steel, and more. This launch comes on the heels of Coach's partnership with Sunnie Reads, a book club created by and for Gen Z, from Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine. The book club's primary goal is to cultivate shared spaces for Gen Z to thrive.

Coach

Tabby Shoulder Bag 26

Coach

Tabby Shoulder Bag 20 With Pillow Quilting

In 2024, Reid starred in Coach's "Unlock Your Courage" campaign, joining the brand's impressive roster of global brand ambassadors. Nearly two years later, she's now featured in the "Explore Your Story" campaign, which, according to Reid, is about more than just fashion.

Though the campaign centers Gen Z voices, Reid notes that it also feels aligned with who Reid is as an actress, producer, and working young woman. When she's not starring as Riley in The Last of Us or reading scripts for her next role, she's running a production company with her mom. When she stepped into her role as CEO, she learned that "storytelling isn't just about performance; it's a responsibility." And it's one Reid doesn't take lightly. "At this point, I'm not just telling beautiful stories. I want to tell honest ones, and ones that are reflective of the real world."

In times like this, where the world feels so divisive and so dark and scary, it's important to read and ingest things about resilience and about finding your voice, even in a world that you know tries to silence you as a Black woman. In this world, I think this kind of storytelling is powerful.
Storm Reid

Lately, Reid has been adorning her Coach Tabby Bag with a miniature version of Maya Angelou's acclaimed 1969 autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which she describes as iconic, foundational, and raw. "I think in times like this, where the world feels so divisive and so dark and scary, it's important to read and ingest things about resilience and about finding your voice, even in a world that you know tries to silence you as a Black woman. In this world, I think this kind of storytelling is powerful." The book, which is centered on Maya Angelou's trauma and subsequent resilience, reminds Reid that "softness and strength can exist at the same time, and you shouldn't dim your story for the sake of others."

The beauty of this campaign not only lies in the bags featured, but in the stories they carry—literally and figuratively. It is not lost on us that I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is one of the most commonly banned books in the United States. "When books are banned, it's less about the book and more about the discomfort of what the book is talking about. She tells her story, especially this story in particular, with such honesty about race, trauma, identity, and womanhood, and those conversations continue to be a sore spot for people." What better way to bring attention to censored, marginalized books than to make a fashion statement that challenges the status quo?

Storm Reid is no stranger to fashion statements, and we can see that in everything from her 2021 Met Gala look to her USC game-day outfits to the pieces she sports in this very campaign. "Fashion is like a form of storytelling—some days, I feel soft and romantic, and other days, I feel a little structured, bold, and edgy. Or I'm like, I don't care, go out and dress like Adam Sandler. And that's totally okay, because he be fly," she says with a laugh.

Reid's style is an extension of her mood, but she credits her collaboration with Coach for informing her personal and professional style. "It's about just taking up space and telling your story through the clothes that you're wearing. The clothes don't wear you, right?"

The "Explore Your Story" campaign doesn't end at checkout. The "Coach Tabby Tour: Explore Your Story Edition" will travel to college campuses across the U.S., Asia, and beyond, offering students the opportunity to connect, exchange stories, and participate in campaign programming.