Lil Nas X is both star and inspiration for a new short film from famed fashion house Coach launching their new brand purpose, “Courage to Be Real.”
Coach says their Courage to Be Real campaign is, at its heart, “a call to action to encourage courageous self-expression. The brand mission and message is “about embracing all aspects of who you are with confidence—and inspiring others to express themselves authentically, too.”
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Lil Nas X’s participation in the Courage to Be Real film marks his debut as a Coach global ambassador. Shot by Canadian photographer, dancer, and artist Petra Collins, the short features the Grammy-winning artist’s latest single, “STAR WALKIN’.”
Focusing on Lil Nas X’s courageous evolution to become the person he is today, Collins’ film highlights the obstacles the rapper overcame along his journey. Set in a dream-like world informed by Collins’ and Coach’s shared vision of American pop culture, through the lens of the next generation, the short follows Lil Nas X through rooms that represent key moments in his personal journey—from his early days in the Atlanta suburbs, to achieving fame through music, to reaching new creative heights in digital worlds and becoming the multi-hyphenate superstar he is today. In each room, Lil Nas X moves through doors that represent the struggles he has faced in life—from fear, self-doubt, to judgment from others—and ultimately takes the stage, inspiring the world to transcend their limits and express who they really are.
“My whole career has been about breaking down doors, and this campaign represents everything I’ve overcome so far,” Lil Nas X said in a statement. “It’s about walking into new chapters of life, new experiences and new versions of myself, and it’s rooted in authenticity and self-expression—two things I really care about. It was really fun collaborating with [Coach Creative Director] Stuart [Vevers] and Petra to bring this to life.”
“My vision for Coach has always been to create a fashion world where people feel free to express themselves as they are,” Vevers added. “To bring this vision to life, I was thrilled to bring Lil Nas X and Petra Collins together with Coach for the first time—two artists who have changed the world around them by being themselves. The film we created together is a new form of storytelling that not only feels unexpected and different for us, it helps to create a community around the values we share with the next generation.”
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“At Coach, we want to inspire people to have the confidence to express themselves and explore all of who they are—to have the courage to be real,” Global Chief Marketing Officer and North America President of Coach Sandeep Seth remarked. “The campaign we are introducing today is the first chapter of our Courage To Be Real mission, and the embodiment of the values Coach has championed for generations. Created with Lil Nas X, an artist who has courageously paved new paths for others, the film tells the story of the challenges many of us face in our journeys of self-discovery, and how belief in yourself and a willingness to take risks can inspire others to do the same.”
A director’s cut of the film will also be released this week by Collins on her social channels. You can see more photos of Lil Nas X’s campaign for Coach, below.
