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The best leather jackets of AW24
From boxy cuts to oversized bombers, the leather jacket comes in multiple guises this season. These are the best of them all
One of the most iconic pieces in fashion history, the leather jacket may have roots in military pragmatism, but it’s the pop-culture moments that have cemented its position as a timeless wardrobe hero.
The image of Elvis Presley in a skin-tight design (often with matching trousers) will likely ring familiar, as will that of James Dean in his moto coat and white tee. In the 1970s, rockstars from Joan Jett to Debbie Harry made battered and bruised leather jackets their signature, with silver-studded biker styles soon becoming synonymous with the DIY punk movement.
By the Nineties, and the rise of minimalism, more polished silhouettes emerged with A-listers wearing pared-back and boxy cuts over white T-shirts and straight-leg jeans (a look that still looks effortlessly chic today).
Fast-forward to AW24, and the leather jacket lives on in a host of new guises. The leather blazer is the freshest silhouette to know – just see Dakota Johnson, who wore one on the Gucci front row at Milan Fashion Week, shrugged over a see-through dress (then with a bodysuit and jeans to the afterparty). Hailey Bieber often opts for a buttery blazer, either layered over skin-tight dresses or a longline white T-shirt, while Emily Ratajkowsi frequently uses a leather bomber to bring a more casual, carefree slant to put-together looks.
There are so many options in store right now, whatever your silhouette preference. For something smart and boxy, Proenza Schouler and Gucci are poised to deliver, while Alexander McQueen has inflated the bomber to statement proportions. Blazers abound at Anine Bing and Frame, while Khaite has placed a bet in every corner, offering a leather-heavy edit of varsity jackets, boxy crops and cocooning coats. And of course, The Row has crafted the ultimate embellishment-free leather trench coat, designed to become a trophy piece in your forever wardrobe. It’s perhaps as far from Joan Jett in her battered and badged-up biker jacket as one could get.
Proof that leather doesn’t have to read as grungy, Khaite’s polished boxy jacket is crafted with a collarless neckline and darted along the front for a neat finish.
The most minimalist leather jacket of the season, Nour Hammour’s supple lamb-leather design doesn’t feel tied to a specific era or season: the calling card of a true forever piece.
Clever design tweaks transform Ba&sh’s leather jacket into something that feels youthful and feminine. The usual pointed collar is replaced with a rounded Peter Pan style (note the matching pocket) while the back reveals a flouncy ruffled panel.
Acne Studios is the undisputed king of the biker jacket: unrivalled for years, this weighty, supple outerwear icon still looks as good today as it did a decade ago. This time around, we’re ditching the skinny jeans though, opting instead for a pair of tailored trousers to contrast the inherent edge.
Sitting somewhere between a blazer and a trench, The Row’s sublime Babil coat is crafted entirely from double-faced nappa leather to ensure the most luxurious feel. It fastens with a matching belt and is free from bells and whistles: after all, craftsmanship this masterful doesn’t need gilding.
Minimalist, boxy silhouettes bring a grown-up feel to the leather jacket this season. Take Proenza Schouler’s pared-back piece: whether swung over a T-shirt and jeans or a floor-sweeping dress, the result is always ultra-refined.
In deep khaki, Alexander McQueen’s elongated bomber jacket feels special without looking like a one-season wonder. Don’t be nervous about the hip-skimming length: it brings instant nonchalance to smarter looks, making everything from pin-straight tailoring to elegant dresses feel dressed-down in the chicest kind of way.
One of the best pieces on the high street this season, Mango’s all-leather trench coat is minimally detailed to ensure the slickest result. Button it over an all-black look, or wear it with the new season’s rich burgundy hues.
In glossy oxblood leather and featuring contrasting suede panels, Jigsaw's leather jacket may tick off two of the season's biggest trends, but it's bound to live on in your wardrobe for years to come.
Frame applies the same meticulous tailoring to its leather pieces as it does its signature denim, This single-breasted blazer, with its peak lapels and neatly fitted shoulders, is pure Nineties perfection. Team it simply with a white tank and straight-leg jeans for the full effect.
