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Leather has long been a mainstay of winter collections, with leather jackets, skirts or trousers found in just about every wardrobe. However, up until recent seasons, these have been almost exclusively produced in shades of black or brown. That’s now all changed, with the AW 25 shows shunning neutral designs in favour of more colourful leather options.
At Anthony Vaccarello’s Saint Laurent show, leather jackets were given an 1980s-inspired makeover, with XL shoulder pads in khaki and mustard, with contrasting waist ties and cuffs in navy and aubergine, paired with mini leather skirts in bold reds. Similarly, Acne Studios opted for head-to-toe leather looks in pillar-box red, while Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood sent a classic side-striped tracksuit down the runway – not in cotton or polyester, but cut from a buttery purple leather.
Top, £150, and skirt, £220, Arrange, asos.com. Earrings, £25.99, pilgrim.net. Bag, £109, whistles.com. Bracelet, £39, daisyjewellery.com. Sandals, £29.99, quizclothing.co.uk.
If you’re in need of some inspiration, there has been no shortage of stylish celebrities embracing the trend. Jessica Alba paired a sky-blue leather pencil skirt from the Willy Chavarria SS 26 show with a matching short-sleeve shirt in New York recently, while fellow actress Olivia Munn opted for a full-length green leather trench for the Erdem show in London.
While we love the bold head-to-toe leather looks in primary colours that are all over our Instagram feeds right now, they’re not always the most practical to put together for real life. For anyone wanting to dabble in the trend in a more subtle way, we recommend sticking to an autumnal colour scheme. Find a leather jacket or trousers in khaki or burgundy and then pair with non-leather items (jeans, wool skirts or tailoring) in similar tones.
And to avoid? Keep away from any 00s-inspired fitted or cropped jackets. Similarly, it’s almost impossible to pull off skinny leather trousers or – even worse – a leather legging.
Tempted to try the trend for yourself? Read on for our top tips for styling coloured leather at any age.
- Leather lends itself to an edgy aesthetic. Keep an outfit feeling feminine by pairing with dainty accessories, like strappy sandals and sleek shoulder bags.
- Fitted leather clothing feels dated – stick to looser styles instead.
- Primary colours are a great way to try the colour-block trend. Try pairing a royal-blue bag with a matching leather dress for a statement look.
- A chunky shoe looks best with cropped trousers. If you’re wearing a colourful shoe, keep the trousers a neutral colour – cream or denim wide-leg trousers work well.
Hair: Terri Capon using Oribe.
Make-up: Tom Fraser using Shiseido.
Model: Rachel Boss at Models 1.
