No longer exclusive to outerwear or the reserve of punk, rock ‘n’ rollers, leather is adopting softer silhouettes and taking new forms. Now it fills undiscovered corners of your wardrobe and plays a new role in your weekly styling. The beauty of a leather investment piece is that it will gradually wear in over time, developing its own natural patinas that will only add to its appeal and uniqueness.
Fashion’s continued penchant for the ‘90s-revival aesthetic might have a part to play in the resurgence of leather, combined with designers’ experimental approach to using the material in novel ways. These new pieces add a luxurious edge to even the most quotidian of pairings.
1 | Dressed Up
Dresses have been getting the leather treatment in designers’ FW collections for the past few years now, so it’s safe to say this is anything but a fly-by trend. From button-down shirt styles to slip dresses and minis, there are a plethora of styles to explore but for an effortlessly accessible solution, our Leather Shift Layering Dress is a single investment with plenty of mileage.
A simple sleeveless cut topped with a V-neckline, crafted from by-product Italian Nappa leather with a butter-soft finish, it’s a year-round staple suited to blue-sky days and chilly autumnal ones.
Its trans-seasonal, vintage-inspired silhouette looks decidedly of this century when combined with smooth leather. Style it with a short-sleeved T-shirt or cami in the summer and with a long-sleeved layering top or shirt framed by balloon sleeves when we approach chillier months. Retain the material’s edgier connotations even in the summer by turning to platform or chunky sandals. For added warmth, introduce a pair of tights and knee-high boots into the mix.
2 | Leather Pants
A timeless closet classic that makes a regular appearance on many a capsule-wardrobe guide. From figure-hugging skinny styles to looser, wide-leg iterations, designer leather pants cover as many silhouettes as their tailored counterparts.
Effortlessly smarten off-duty staples such as classic white T-shirts and cargo-style jackets with our Leg Extender Leather Leggings. Zipped hems allow you to accommodate your pick of footwear all while creating the illusion of a longer leg: leave them undone to complement low-top leather sneakers or sandals, and zip them up when pulled on atop heels or tucked into knee-high boots to retain a sleek finish. By ensuring the fabric always flows, it creates an undisrupted, flattering silhouette suspended from a high-rise waistband that lengthens the appearance of your legs.
Adopting a more traditionally tailored silhouette, our Leather Slim Crop Pant is expertly crafted from Italian Nappa leather and features a subtle side stripe rendered in smooth suede that stretches from the comfortable elasticated waistband to the hems that fall to the narrowest point of your ankles for a flattering finish. Easy to turn up for a shorter crop or casual finish, the cut also doubles as a full-length on petites. Style them with structured shirting and silk blouses throughout the year, complemented by statement knits in the winter, when you can swap heels or loafers for lugged boots that keep your footing on slicked pavements.
3 | Leather Blazer
The grunge-inflected edginess associated with leather jackets meets the neat tailoring synonymous with Savile Row to find a balance that is at once directional and unique.
When leather meets the structure of a classic blazer the material grants a familiar silhouette an unexpected tactility. The leather blazer first piqued fashion’s interest in the ’90s when red carpet looks adopted more casual styling penchants, but even now they still feel decidedly of the 21st century.
The closet essential you didn’t realise you were missing, our Super Soft Leather Blazer is crafted from butter-soft Italian leather that will gradually wear in over time. Falling to deep cuffs that can be turned up, it effortlessly slots into casual styling and more elevated looks alike.
For an upgraded weekend look, light-wash denim or utility-inspired pieces find the smart-casual balance, whether you round off your look with a pair of loafers or sneakers. Add our Icon Cashmere Hoody into the mix for an athleisure element. AM-PM styling during the week is perfected with tailored pants, a silk blouse and a pair of polished brogues that see you from back-to-back meetings to weekend brunches. Alternatively, pair with a jersey dress in the same deep black shade and knee-high boots for a look that speaks to both office and off-duty settings alike.
4 | Leather On Leather
If you’re of the opinion that it never pays to play things by halves, fully embrace fashion’s love affair with leather by celebrating the fabric in (almost) every aspect of your look.
Double denim might have had its time in the early Noughties, but it’s leather’s turn now. Double-up on the luxuriously soft and versatile fabric by pairing a leather shift dress with a blazer in the same material. Achieve a tonal look when both pieces are in the same shade or a multidimensional one when you celebrate two contrasting hues. Leather shoes - boots or sandals - complete the top-to-toe look for a result that speaks to your year-round sartorial needs.
Alternatively, swap a leather dress for a pair of pants teamed with a leather blazer or luxury leather jacket and slip on your pick of leather shoes.
5 | Final Touches
Last but not least, the easiest way to style leather and the one you probably already adopt on an almost daily basis: footwear.
Leather sneakers, sandals, boots, you name it. Leather shoes in all their shapes and forms are the simplest way to wear leather. Naturally hard-wearing, the material when cared for correctly can last for decades. Explore our collection of footwear to find your own final touches, from our Leather Wedge Sandal shaped with a single sculptural strap to our leather trainers, Leather Penny Loafer and Patent Block Heel Sling Back, for year-round styling.
