Sometime circa 2012, I purchased my first ever leather coat. I was in my late teens at the time, and the piece in question was a leather biker jacket from Topshop. (Where else?) It probably cost me no more than £50, but I thought it was the chicest thing I’d ever laid my eyes on. I felt grown up in it: put together, professional and unbeatable. Even if all I had to worry about was A-Levels and keeping warm at parties in the park (the phrase ‘full circle’ springs to mind). I loved it, and I wore it until the lining ripped and the zip broke.
As the horizons of my sartorial choices have broadened over time, so has my appreciation for leather coats. We far too often think of leather coats to simply be those collared, cropped and metal zip-adorned leather jackets (which are still a wardrobe staple, FYI). But I’ve come to realise there’s so much more to the fabric than meets the eye.
Leather is far more versatile than we give it credit for; a material that knows no bounds. These days, my leather jacket has been joined by a whole host of other leather coat styles. I’ve got leather trench coats, leather puffer jackets and belted leather shackets. I’ve got a quilted leather coat and a fringed leather coat. And each one of them serves a different purpose while still making me feel as put-together/professional/unbeatable as I did at 19.
As temperatures began to drop a week or two ago, I was filled with immediate glee. Not at the prospect of Amazon Prime Day/Halloween/Christmas being around the corner and not because I could finally wear my chunky cardigan for days on end without overheating. It was because the shops became flooded with leather coats, proving the trend was back for another season. I was like a kid in a candy shop.
The likes of Prada, Miu Miu and Remain Birger Christensen have all dropped stylish leather coats for the new season, in coloured leather, vegan leather and can’t-go-wrong black. The high street are also following suit, with Arket dropping a quilted leather coat, ASOS stocking all manner of faux leather trenches and & Other Stories reigning supreme in the leather blazer arena. Stylish, versatile and perfect for layering, the leather coat – in any of its beautiful forms – is the only outerwear piece you’ll need in your wardrobe this autumn.