The Case For Leather. Not That It Needs One

If one thing has become apparent in recent months, it’s that leather, in all its original glory, is here to stay. Easily dressed up, effortlessly dressed down, seductively dressed up, to be taken off. It works every damn time. 

We’ve seen other materials come and go like the wind. But leather can do no wrong in the eyes of the fashion industry. Don’t believe us? Take Demna’s debut Gucci collection for one, raw leather evoked an unmistakable scent of confident sensuality down the runway. Considered a reflection of a generation reclaiming their sexuality, quiet luxury be damned. There’s power in leather. There’s also the quantifiable fact that it’s ultra wearable.

What’s changed is the attitude. Leather used to signal rebellion, now it signals something quieter and arguably more dangerous: intention. With this in mind, MR PORTER and ourselves thought it was about time we shone a light on the ever-enduring material. Below, find the leather pieces that are doing all the heavy liftin’ this season.

Leather, leather, and more leather.

The jacket to beat

Few items come close to a good leather jacket. There’s something in the weight of it, the way it holds its shape off the body, the way it creaks slightly when you move. No other outerwear announces itself quite like this. Worn in, it molds you. Worn new, it wears you. Either way, you’re winning. Shapes and structures have intertwined in recent years, from overly-oversized to figure-hugging, but the essence of the leather jacket lies in, well, the leather.

Small touch, big impact

Accessories are where leather gets serious. A belt cinches more than a waist, it finishes a look, draws a line, tells you exactly where the outfit begins and ends. It’s one of the smallest leather pieces you’ll own and somehow the most decisive. The same logic applies to a bag. A good leather tote, and Dries Van Noten’s is a very good leather tote, carries your whole look without asking for anything in return. 

Your Best Foot Forward

Nobody ever looked down at their feet and wished they’d gone synthetic. Leather shoes are the long game, stiff out of the box, irreplaceable six months later. The kind of thing you resent buying and can’t imagine not owning. In a world obsessed with dad shoes and sneaker-ballet hybrids, sometimes the answer is just a solid pair of leather.

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