Leather and suede emerge as the must-have outerwear for fall

Leather and suede are having a moment. Once confined to heavy winter outerwear, the materials have expanded into fashion items versatile enough to wear from the transitional season through the colder months.

According to industry sources, designs this year have moved well beyond the blouson and bomber jacket, branching out into safari jackets, open-collar jackets, high-neck blousons and mid-to-long-length coats. Materials are also becoming more varied, with goat, lamb, deer and baby calf leather all gaining traction.

Menswear brands have been moving up their leather outerwear launch dates and expanding their product lineups. Analysts say the distinctive texture of leather and suede is emerging as a differentiating factor as consumers increasingly prioritize material quality, craftsmanship and versatility over chasing fast-changing trends.

Jill Stuart New York Man began selling leather outerwear about a month earlier this year than last year and expanded its related product range roughly 4.5 times compared with the previous year. Some items — including a goat suede swing-top jumper and a lambskin leather band-neck jumper — sold through more than 85 percent of their stock within three weeks of launch.

Maestro also increased the number of leather outerwear styles and colorways by 40 percent each this year and expanded total inventory by 40 percent. Sales of leather items in July and August surged 340 percent compared with the same period in the previous fall/winter season. As of early September, the sales pace was more than twice as fast as last year. New customers accounted for about 30 percent of leather buyers.

TNGT introduced leather outerwear for the first time this year, launching five styles for the 26FW season. Its oversized leather car coat — featuring a shoulder-emphasizing silhouette and a mid-length cut — has climbed to the top of its outerwear sales rankings and has already entered a first reorder.

Industry insiders say demand is growing for pieces that can be worn from the transitional season through winter, as the gap between seasons continues to shrink and consumers move away from heavy coats suited only to the coldest months. "Interest in products that showcase the inherent qualities of materials like leather and suede is appearing earlier than usual in this year's men's fall/winter market," one industry official said. "Consumer choices are broadening, centered on products that reinterpret classic designs in a modern way or introduce changes in material and silhouette."