Leather has long been a fashion staple, but for Fall/Winter 2024, it is stealing the spotlight with a new focus and higher craftsmanship.
Designers embraced this timeless material on the global runways, showcasing its versatility through bold designs, unusual textures, and one-of-a-kind treatments.
This season’s leather is far from typical. Designers experimented with color, construction, and sustainability to bring new life to the material.
From buttery-soft textures to high-shine patent treatments, leather became a blank canvas for creativity, changing its role in modern wardrobes.
A TAILORED TOUCH
Leather suits began as a power-dressing statement, changing tailoring into a sleek appearance. Alexander McQueen and Bottega Veneta showed off superbly structured jackets, wide-leg pants, and trench coats, displaying leather’s ability to blend strength and sophistication.
These fashions usually featured deep, somber hues like oxblood, forest green, and traditional black, which complement the season’s gloomy palette.
THE RISE OF COLORED LEATHER
This season, colored leather stole the show, even though traditional tones remained trendy. Loewe and Ferragamo’s collections featured vibrant pops of azure blue, flaming orange, and pastel pink, injecting life into leather staples.
These designs, whether cropped jackets or gigantic coats, showcased the material’s adaptability to bold, contemporary forms.
TEXTURES & FINISHES
Designers also looked at leather’s tactile characteristics. Miu Miu and Saint Laurent introduced crinkled and distressed finishes, giving an edge of rough authenticity, while Gucci and Versace popularized high-gloss patent leather, oozing 80s-inspired glam.
Quilted leathers came in outerwear, creating magnificent, cushioned effects that were both attractive and functional throughout the colder months.
FAUX FORWARD
Sustainability remained a prominent topic, with many companies using innovative synthetic leather into their collections. Stella McCartney and Gabriela Hearst lead the campaign, designing sumptuous vegan leather items that combined environmental consciousness with superb style.
These inventions demonstrated that the aesthetic value of leather does not have to be associated with negative environmental consequences.
Fall/Winter 2024 shows that leather is more than just a material; it’s a statement. This season, leather encourages us to embrace its sumptuous attractiveness in new, creative ways, thanks to its endless versatility and audacious reinvention.
