Leather has always had a lot going for it. It’s sleek, polished and sophisticated. It has an edge, but it’s soft and sensual. And it can always be counted on to send a don’t-mess-with-me message.
With designers reviving the power suit and playing up the contrast between masculine and feminine elements this fall, leather was bound to make a major comeback. Designers from Tom Ford at Gucci to Linda Allard at Ellen Tracy sent complete leather ensembles down the runways, but that’s not the best option for most of us.
“Head-to-toe is a little overwhelming,” agrees LaVelle Olexa, senior vice president of fashion merchandising at Lord & Taylor. “I think for a real wardrobe, it’s best worn as an element. If I wanted to buy one leather item, it would be a great-looking, shaped leather blazer.”
This season, leather conveys an ultra-urban attitude. It’s usually black (brown and burgundy are runners-up) and has a glossy sheen. Most importantly, it stays very close to the body.
“Jackets are no longer the field jackets and barn jackets of a few years ago,” says Lili Kasdan, managing director of the Leather Apparel Association. “It’s slim, it’s fitted, it’s tailored. That’s what makes the new crop of leather more exciting than in the past. It has a more tailored look that gives it a sense of refinement.”
Miniskirts with side slits are another key item, as are flat-front pants, often with a bootcut flare to the legs. A slim knee-length coat–some are calling it a lab coat–looks equally at home over a body-skimming, knee-length dress or pinstriped pants. Pea coats and short trench coats offer plenty of season-spanning versatility. And for a more casual look, a leather shirt can be worn solo or as a layering piece.
To prevent leather from looking too hard-edged, combine it with softer fabrics and nubbier textures. A cardigan or V-necked sweater tones down a leather miniskirt. Try wearing leather pants with a wool melton jacket and a turtleneck or pair a leather jacket with a knit skirt, suggests Jeanette Nostra, president of the GIII Apparel Group, makers of Kenneth Cole and Siena leathers.
Whatever you do, don’t overdo it. With leather, it’s a thin line between tasteful and trashy.
A SUPPLE DIFFERENCE
Leather clothing is a major investment. Here’s how to judge quality:
— Feel the garment and trust your hands. Is it soft and pleasing to the touch? Better skins are softer and more supple, says Jeanette Nostra, president of the GIII Apparel Group.
— Buttons should be backed on the inside of the garment with plastic safety buttons to take the pressure off of the leather, says Nostra.
— Leather garments should be lined, unless it’s a fluid silhouette, such as a shirt jacket. A lining makes it more comfortable and helps the leather keep its shape. Make sure the lining is long enough that it doesn’t pull at the hem or seams, says Patti Carpenter, vice president of design and merchandising for Andrew Marc.
For leather care tips and the name of your nearest leather cleaner, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the Leather Apparel Association, 19 W. 21st St., Suite 403, New York, N.Y. 10010.
THE LOOK FOR LESS
Those who don’t want the real thing have plenty of choices in less expensive, leather-like PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or pleather.
The major drawback to synthetic fibers is that they don’t “breathe.”
But to get the style of the moment at a bargain price, synthetic styles can’t be beat. PVC items often cost less than $50 and stores such as Target have even offered jackets for less than $20.
———-
Resources
Black leather shirt jacket $175, and leather pants, $175; from The Gap. Emanuel brown leather jacket, $550, chocolate brown DKNY dress, $145, hooded sweater $155, black ankle boots (shown with skirt), $255; all from Marshall Field’s. Black leather ankle boots (shown with pants), $285; from G’Bani Soes. Leather vest, $250, black ribbed turtleneck, $175, charcoal gray skirt with slits, $180; all from Barneys New York. Black leather dress, $580, faux mink neck muffler, $75, red cuff bracelet, $80, boa, $60; all from Episode. Black leather gloves, $160; from Glove Me Tender.
