Nothing says timeless like a leather jacket. While often thought of as edgy or grungy, it can also be incorporated into a chic look – when styled carefully.
Celebrities like Sofia Richie, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Hailey Bieber have frequently been spotted wearing one.
For them however, the leather jacket is worn in a very slouchy and nonchalant manner. Often oversized, theirs is an accessory that screams “I don’t care, I’m cool”.
On the runways, fashion houses are using leather jackets to highlight a contrast between hard and soft.
Saint Laurent for example, sent out a number of models wearing leather jackets for its Spring/Summer 2025 show. Drop-shoulder designs were paired with everything from maxidresses to casual suits.
“You’re dressed. It’s about control, and power, in a way,” Anthony Vaccarello told Vogue, about his vision for realising the “relaxed” look.
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On the streets, a leather jacket can work wonderfully well when paired with jeans.
To elevate the look, it should not be worn with boots – instead, heels will help take you from biker chick to model off-duty.
Bomber jackets, varsity jackets, racer jackets and more can benefit from the “leather treatment”.
If you feel that the current crop of famous faces are just not convincing enough, think back at how icons like Marlon Brando and Patti Smith have successfully made the leather jacket as part of their identity.
When actor Brando appeared in 1953 cult classic The Wild One, there was apparently a spike in popularity among teenagers favouring his biker jacket. The style was even dubbed the “Brando”.
Singer-songwriter Smith is remembered for her understated look. Regarding this, she has talked about having shared clothes with her lover, the late photographer Robert Mapplethorpe.
Mapplethorpe’s signature look was a leather jacket. He also favoured the material in his photographs.
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Sustainability-wise, fashion houses are embracing leather alternatives. These look and feel like leather, but are produced from plant-based materials.
Stella McCartney has never used real leather in her collections.
It does not have to be in the colour black too.
Gucci’s Spring/Summer 2025 show last month saw models walking in boldly coloured leather pieces – a highlight being a racer jacket than can easily be mixed and matched to suit different looks.
