From Kim Kardashian’s turns in Balenciaga leather to Julia Fox’s ab-flashing separates, Rihanna’s bomber jacket to Hailey Bieber’s trench coats, there’s a lot of leather on the celebrity circuit right now. It’s as if everyone watched The Matrix Resurrections over the festive period and subsequently pinned Neo and Trinity to their 2022 moodboards.
Read more: Shop The Best Leather Trousers That Spell Instant Polish
The one thing all the aforementioned women have in common? They’re fearlessly bold with their style choices. It takes an intrepid person to wear full-look leather. (Customary practice, of course, if you’re a dominatrix, motorcyclist, emo or goth.)
Everyday folk rarely strut about central London in head-to-toe leather without reason, so people are buying into the leather hype in their own way. Lyst reports that search for leather on the whole is up 43 per cent year-on-year, with customers dabbling in long leather coats (up 39 per cent) and leather platform boots (up 71 per cent).
Consumers are looking for versatile pieces that last and promise endless versatility. “If you find the perfect shape, [leather pieces] are timeless and can be worn season after season,” says Tiffany Hsu, vice president of womenswear and kidswear fashion buying at Mytheresa. Heather Gramston, head of womenswear buying at Browns, echoes her opinion. “Leather is an investment purchase that has enduring appeal, and with wear, becomes a second skin,” she says.
Tiffany cites Bottega Veneta and Magda Butrym – Hailey has worn the latter’s leather designs repeatedly – as leaders of the leather movement. Specifically, the leather coats and suits “remind [her] of old-school Matrix looks” that can be “mixed and matched to be both edgy and elegant.”
Heather credits the sexy spring/summer 2022 mood as the catalyst for the leather hype. “We saw the full spectrum of seduction… This return to high-octane glamour, after a long bout of comfort dressing, also saw leather making a comeback,” she tells Vogue.
Read more: The 10 Key Spring/Summer 2022 Trends To Know Now
Prada’s distressed leather biker jacket, Simone Rocha’s sculpted leather midi dress and the leather bustier and maxi skirt look at Khaite are on her wishlist, all of which she’ll be wearing all-year-round. “We’re generally more used to seeing leather feature heavily in autumn/winter, but this time around, it was on almost every runway, showing us that the seasons aren’t as set in stone as they once were.”
Nostalgia has had a big part to play. “We all love the ’90s revival, and this leather trend nods to the pared-back, edgy minimalism of the era, seen from the likes of Helmut Lang and Prada,” remarks Heather. Libby Page, senior market editor at Net-a-Porter, has similarly noticed a rise of interest in “statement leather pieces and biker glam elements” – particularly biker jackets. Designers provided myriad modern updates on Kate Moss’s beloved ’90s staple for SS22, including Alexander McQueen, Supriya Lele, Simone Rocha, Balenciaga, Prada and Miu Miu. (Lyst states that interest has spiked 57 per cent.)
At MatchesFashion, leather blazers are among the best-selling items. Pieces from Alexander McQueen, Blazé Milano, Petar Petrov, 16Arlington and its in-house brand Raey have been flying off the shelves, while Frankie Shop and Stand Studio have led the charge on the faux leather front. “For our customer, these leather jackets are an update on the wool or cashmere blazers they have been wearing over the past couple of years, and look great styled with wide-leg denim, which is another key trend we are seeing at the moment,” comments Liane Wiggins, the retailer’s head of womenswear. “We are also seeing an uplift in A-line leather skirts; we have super luxurious options from Gabriela Hearst and Chloé alongside some great faux-leather options from Sea and Totême. We loved the way these were styled with fitted knit bodysuits and sweaters [at the shows].”
For Libby, leather trousers are a “staple”. She shouts out Nanushka’s Vinni vegan leather straight-leg pants, which she says can be worn with “chunky sandals and a white T-shirt for sunnier days or with boots and a roll-neck during colder months”.
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
At Net-a-Porter, customers have been drawn towards Commando’s faux-leather flared pants in black and tan, and Joseph’s Coleman leather slim-fit pants. And at Browns, the most popular shapes are loose-fitting and baggy. “Elleme’s wide-leg trousers, Remain’s white patent offering and Loewe’s cropped wide-leg style are all proving really popular with our customer,” reports Heather.
While all-black leather is having a moment, colourful shades are set to light up 2022. Get browsing.
