Top Trend: Leather

If there was one show that symbolized this fall/winter 2017 trend above all others it was Saint Laurent collection. All you have to do is mention the brand’s name and it immediately brings back the vivid memory of Anthony Vaccarello’s exceptional use of leather this season. He very skillfully showed a collection where every silhouette incorporated the material in one way or another. Some of the best example include the show’s opening cocktail dresses with sharp shoulders, leather draping and even a sheepskin lining that exude that sexy, confident feeling that is the essence of  Saint Laurent.

Saint Laurent

Alexander McQueen

Loewe

At Alexander McQueen leather was also the bearer of a strong aesthetic. Designer Sarah Burton dipped into the punk culture with sleeveless, armor-like dresses that showcased impressive corset lacing, while at Balmain, leather called for opulence. But as much as full leather looks are a staple (see also Céline, Fendi, and Loewe for a timeless silhouette), this season brought a few new interpretations of the material, giving it either a soft, feminine spin or taking it to new, undiscovered spheres.

At Prada and Coach 1941 for example, leather coats bore delicate embroideries, which emancipate leather from that “don’t mess with me” aesthetic. The use of color also seems to be crucial to this change. One of Prada’s leather coats was cut in turquoise blue, which is uncommon for such a piece. The question is: should leather only be black or brown? To that, designers Proenza Schouler, Valentino and Hermès respond “absolutely not.” From New York to Milan and Paris, these designers showed a softer side of leather with the use of pastel pink on a range of elegant coats and feminine dresses.

Prada

Coach

Valentino

Still, what strikes us the most this season – and is certainly representative of our desire to dress differently – is to see leather not only infiltrating sportswear but the workwear attire as well. Case in point, Chloé’s suede tracksuit, Calvin Klein’s skinny leather jacket and biker trousers combo, and of course Lacoste’s ultra comfortable take on the jumpsuit.

There are in fact many highlights to this top trend: J.W. Anderson’s mini motorcycle jacket, 3.1 Phillip Lim’s peplum, and the list goes on and on. Still, we’d like to leave you with one image in mind: the one of Jeremy Scott’s floor-length gown for Moschino, which is entirely made of… leather gloves! Undoubtedly the most ingenious nod to the leather ethos we’ve seen on this season’s runways.

Maxime Der Nahabedian

Initially trained to become a specialized translator from English and German to French, Maxime has been writing for fashion and lifestyle publications for about three years. First as a Managing Editor for the quarterly fashion & art magazine Crash where he worked on ten issues, then most recently for the French online media Saywho.fr. His topics of choice go from fashion shows and exhibitions reviews to interviews with various cultural figures (Beth Ditto, Lilly Collins, Aitor Throup).