London Fashion Week: Whatever we’re doing in autumn, designers say we’ll be doing it in leather

Olivia Petter examines how designers are reinventing one of the most timeless trends for autumn/winter 2021

A tailored suit from Temperley (left) and 16Arlington’s feathery frock complete with full maribou skirting and sleeves (Templerley/16Arlington)

Fashion trends may come and go, but there are a few that always seem to stick around– and leather is one of them. Whether it’s a vintage biker jacket or a micro handbag, a timeless leather piece is a must-have for any wardrobe, regardless of what the runways are saying. It might come as no surprise, then, that leather features prominently in the autumn/winter 2021 collections. But this is not leather as you know it. 

This season, designers have toyed with structure and form to create a series of statement leather pieces unlike anything you’ve seen before. The trend started at Temperley London, whose latest “Rock Swagger” collection was inspired by the revolutionary spirit of the latter half of the 1970s, an era when leather was synonymous with subversive starlets like Patti Smith and Chrissie Hynde.

Up until that point, leather had previously been associated with men. In the 1950s, it was Hollywood icon Marlon Brando who first wore a leather jacket on the silver screen in The Wild One. Elsewhere, James Dean was also frequently seen sporting a stiff leather jacket. Then, in the 1960s, it was Steve McQueen whose trademark look was defined by his aviator-style leather jacket and sunglasses. These were the styling choices that would come to lead many to view leather as a sign of rebellion. 

But it wasn’t until female musicians, such as Debbie Harry and Stevie Nicks, started wearing the material while performing on stage that it became a more unisex garment, one that quickly became associated with a bohemian lifestyle and, of course, rock and roll.

This is where Temperley takes its cues this season, producing a series of standout leather items including a tailored suit, a belted trench coat, and an oversized vintage-inspired jacket complete with heavy studs and a firework embellishment on the back, all of which pay homage to the anarchic spirit of the aforementioned musical heroines.

Temperley’s oversized vintage-inspired jacket (Temperley)

Similar notes were taken at 16Arlington, whose standout leather pieces from the season include twisted bodices with matching high-waisted skirts, oversized vinyl jackets with coordinating trousers, and an inexplicably feathery frock complete with full maribou skirting and sleeves, all of which were wildly – and somewhat refreshingly – out of sync with the wholesome knits and loungewear we’ve worn for most of the previous year at home in lockdown.

Then there were the equally thrillingly ill-suited leather co-ords at Palmer//Harding, with one camel-coloured button-down jacket and trouser-combo largely viewed as the key piece from the collection.

The trend took a gothic turn at Art School, the unisex London-based label that this season produced an all-black (and nearly all-leather) collection comprising tight-fitting leather mini skirts, trousers and corsets reminiscent of a grungier scene that upheld leather as one of its staples in the 1990s.

16Arlington’s twisted bodice with matching high-waisted skirt (16Arlington)

But leather is not just a look reserved for autumn/winter. The latest data report from global shopping platform, Lyst, shows that searches for leather blazers are up by 87 per cent as spring approaches, fortifying the fabric’s perennial appeal. 

As for how to wear it now, with warmer climes approaching, take your cues from the boho-chic starlets of the early Noughties – think Sienna Miller and Kate Moss trudging through Glastonbury in floral frocks and oversized leather jackets. Or, opt for a slicker silhouette by investing in a leather blazer, one that would elevate any denim jeans-and-boyfriend-shirt combo for a stylish and seasonless ensemble.