Why Isn't Tod's On The Mood Board?
Iconic loafers, timeless leather, and Italian sprezzatura to boot — why hasn't Tod’s gained traction with young shoppers?
I’ve recently joined the ranks of Girls Who Religiously Check TheRealReal Twice A Day. Browsers familiar with the site know that though the legitimacy of their listings can sometimes be dubious, the New Arrivals schedule is as reliable as it gets. At 7AM and 4PM PST daily, a slew of new (old) bags, shoes and apparel hit the site.
What follows is a swift and sprightly feeding frenzy, with the savviest of shoppers immediately putting the best items on hold, or snatching them up entirely before the rest of us even get a chance to debate blowing our rent money on some decently-priced secondhand sweater from The Row, or a not-too-badly-creased pair of Miu Miu ballet flats.
Sometimes, I play a game with myself by checking the New Arrivals section right when the newness drops, then revisiting the same pages a few hours later. I love seeing which pieces sell right away, as they’re usually clear indicators of what vintage or secondhand-savvy sartorialists feel is coming back into style.
But even with my considerable knowledge on what makes a trend, brand, or piece desireable, I find myself utterly stumped at the lack of movement on one heritage brand in particular.
Dear Reader, I ask you: Will it ever be time for Tod’s?
Over the last few years, we’ve witnessed a total and complete secondhand renaissance. Shiny new It Bags are still a thing, but the real brag-worthy items are vintage or hard-to-get pieces from the past, tirelessly searched for and then displayed or worn like badges of honor.
Yes, sporting a new Chanel bag is a flex — but rocking a deliciously worn-in tote made of Coach’s old-school, glove-tanned leather is just as good, if not better.
Recognizing the quality in (and successfully sourcing) older leather bags has become something of a sport to fashionistas, with brands like the aforementioned Coach getting a second chance at cool thanks to shoppers who understand the quality of their leather pieces.
In addition to vintage leather bags coming in hot, an exhausting emphasis on “old money aesthetics,” “quiet luxury” and a slew of other bougie buzzwords has sparked an obsession with elevated wardrobe essentials like timeless trench coats, tailored suiting, and of course, wear-with-everything loafers.
When I think of a brand that excels at leather bags and loafers, my mind instantly goes to Tod’s. And yet, the brand’s pieces sit unpurchased on TheRealReal and other resale sites for days, weeks, months.
Why aren’t they getting the Coach treatment?
With loafers, leather and timeless flair to spare, it just doesn’t make sense why Tod’s isn’t gaining traction. Unless, of course, that’s what they want — perhaps they aren’t so eager to appeal to Gen Z shoppers as, say, Prada or Bottega.
I wish I could say this was the case, but I seriously doubt it. Tod’s wants in — and not just on the resale market.
If Tod’s didn’t want to be the It Brand of the moment, they wouldn’t have bothered appointing Matteo Tamburini as creative director. Tamburini worked under Bottega’s Daniel Lee and Matthieu Blazy, both of whom can in part be credited with breathing new life into the brand’s DNA, elevating its signature intrecciato weave from Ol’ Reliable to Hot New Bombshell Entering The Fashion Villa.
I’m sure Tamburini hopes to revamp Tod’s signatures for a similar effect. And I’d argue his Fall/Winter 2024 debut was strong, as are the collections that have followed. And yet, little traction.
The material is all right there — the proper pops of trendy colors, the recognizable signatures and silhouettes, the casual ease of the styling.
Were the above looks from, say, Bottega’s latest collection, I guarantee they’d be gushed about at length.
I can’t help but wonder if the reason Tod’s isn’t popping off is because folks outside of the fashion bubble associate the brand primarily with menswear, despite their strong women’s selection.
The brand is called Tod’s, not Tonya’s, after all. Perhaps a brand’s perceived male-dominated aesthetic can’t thrive in the femininomenon that is 2024, and so we see designers like Tory Burch — whose collections ooze femininity in one way or another — taking their turn in the spotlight.
But surely the brand’s signature sprezzatura is desirable enough to outweigh any preconceived notions about it being “just a men’s brand,” right? Effortless, too-cool carelessness is all the rage these days, and nobody pulls it off better than the Italians wearing Tod’s. Shouldn’t that alone be enough to have these quiet-luxury-lusting shoppers taking note?
Perhaps it could be, if the brand’s socials showed this off a bit more. Overall, the imagery leaves something to be desired. “Too cool to care” is one thing, but “too cool to develop a strong Instagram presence and appeal to new consumers” is quite another.
While the above and other images do feel classic Tod’s, they don’t do anything to intrigue or engage with a new audience — or excite their old one, for that matter. I feel like they’re trying, but for one reason or another, the attempts fall flat.
Out of all the marketing materials I’ve come across whilst falling deeper down this Tod’s wormhole, the below image of the vibrant, delightfully fringed Yorky Loafers was the only shot to truly catch my eye.
And one cool picture certainly can’t carry the whole show, can it?
The irony is, I think a good chunk of the recent Tod’s market would appeal to a younger generation of shoppers. The Yorky Loafers are a perfect example — backed by enough heritage-brand clout to justify the price tag, but funky and “special” enough to make the wearer feel unique. (I really want them.)
Indeed, there are a lot of good pieces on the Tod’s site, and probably in Tod’s stores, too. But I don’t think shoppers find themselves on the site or in the stores as often as Tod’s would like.
That’s exactly why perfectly good Tod’s pieces go ignored on sites like TheRealReal. These days, it’s not enough to be a quality item — there has to be a desirable brand identity behind a piece in order for shoppers to justify their purchase.
Especially with so many options at their fingertips, and other brands working overtime to turn their heads.
If you can’t tell by now, this is hardly an “LOL, Tod’s Can’t Hack It” post. In fact, it’s a “Tod’s Deserves A Spot On The Mood Board” plea. I’m a fan! And it kills me to see gorgeous leather bags ignored on TheRealReal, and timeless loafers marked down to basically-free at Century 21. Especially when I see similar styles from Chloé, Coach and The Row being pinned, posted about and pined over on a daily basis.
Tod’s deserves the chance to Wow us. When they do, will we be paying attention?
x BG