Charles Melton Thinks on His Feet in Coach's Soho Sneaker Campaign
Coach has released the new chapter in its Soho Sneaker campaign, 'Not Just For Walking,' starring global ambassador and actor Charles Melton.
Featuring a playful campaign film that nods to the tradition of Hollywood thrillers and an expressive portrait of Charles captured on set, this latest chapter extends the campaign in a new direction while underscoring the Soho Sneaker’s versatility as a vehicle for self-expression. This content also supports Coach’s brand purpose, the Courage to Be Real, a platform to inspire people to embrace all the facets of who they are with confidence.
Directed by Lief's award-winning filmmaker Alma Har’el (Honey Boy, Lady in the Lake), the creation of the film was a collaborative process between Alma and Charles. In it, Charles’ character is rehearsing lines for a film at home when the discovery of a paparazzo outside begins to blur the boundaries of fact and fiction. Thinking quickly, he decides to use his Soho Sneakers as a decoy for the photographer, then he quietly sneaks out a side door to his car, where a second pair of well-loved Soho Sneakers await him. Dynamic, high-energy and light hearted, the film speaks to the Soho Sneaker’s utility 'Not Just For Walking,' but as a shoe made to embrace the many expressions of the wearer’s life.
The latest chapter extends Coach’s Soho Sneaker campaign, which launched in April 2025 and featured singer and rapper Audrey Nuna, model Giovanna Ramos, college basketball player Tahaad Pettiford, WNBA player Satou Sabally and NASCAR driver Toni Breidinger.
Inspired by the cross-training sneakers of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, the Soho Sneaker reimagines a classic style through the lens of the brand’s distinctive design language, and debuted at the Coach Spring 2025 runway show before appearing in stores earlier this year. The sneakers will continue to appear in new fabrications and colourways as the brand further explores this style as a platform for boundless self-expression.
