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Vested Interest
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mina Behar
Leather Apparel Association
212.727.1210 x 209
email: mbehar@leatherapparelassociation.com
How to Look Cool
in Leather
For Fall
Leather Trends from the
Fall 2008 Runways
New York (November 2008)From New York to London, from Milan to Paris, leather looks continue to score big on the fashion runways and the red carpet.
From New York to London, from Milan to Paris, leather looks continue to score big on the fashion runways and the red carpet.
The fashion buzz is all about leather and its leading edge, be it in the form of a pencil skirt, a lush suede trench coat or a chic alligator vest, and the Leather Apparel Association's runway trend report provides the inside scoop.
BLACK BUT NEVER BASIC
Sleek black leather has always been in style, but skip the "basic." For Fall 2008 designers have worked this most versatile of luxury fabrics to the max, turning out new treatments and unexpected styles that are hard to resist. In London, John Richmond made the gutsy motorcycle jacket new again in chic patent leather trimmed with fur. Kenneth Cole New York has turned out a woman's glazed black leather belted bomber that is a fashion must have - sexy, sleek and smart.
From the heart of midtown Manhattan Black Rivet has given us a woman's double-breasted A-line jacket in lamb with military snap and polish. Its chic ¾ length sleeves and snappy gold buttons add the power to empower. Guess Outerwear does as much for men with a zip-front hip length jacket in washed leather with zip and flap pockets.
A COAT OF A DIFFERENT COLOR
Color was all over the runways in every fashion category and leather caught the wave with its image bolstered by bright hues, full frontal and not for the shy and retiring. In fact leather was the natural starting point with fresh new palettes from bold brights to deep darks. There is even a new way to accent black and neutrals, from high gloss shine patent to glove soft and deeply colored.
British designer Matthew Williamson crossed the pond to New York to pump up the volume. His jade green shearling coat with a bright patent finish and brightly colored leather jackets are essential wardrobe additions for fall. In fact they are natural accompaniments to the omnipresent black apparel. At Sean John, P. Diddy reinvented the bomber jacket, making it new and exciting in sleek red glove leather.
Dark rich colors are casting a sophisticated spell for fall, too, as demonstrated by Andrew Marc's merlot quilted jacket in paper-weight glove lamb, down filled to provide warmth when needed. Sean John's burgundy leather waiter's jacket with lush dyed fox collar is also a head turner.
CLASSICS STUDY
Chic classic sportswear styles have also moved into the spotlight for fall, with ladylike looks that evoke images of 1960s Hitchcock heroines or the secretarial chic of the hit television series Mad Men.
At Hermes designer Jean Paul Gaultier reworked the suit in posh leather separates — pairing a brown pony skin blazer with a cognac leather pencil skirt — resulting in polished pulled together perfection. From Kenneth Cole New York comes a black lambskin funnel neck jacket and a slim leather skirt, providing a chic alternative for the woman who favors the classic suit. Why the return to classic fare? Because it works so well.
This fall iconic silhouettes such as the trench will be seen reinterpreted in lush new fabrications; notably at Hermes, in a mink trimmed rust suede and leather wrap style coat, and from Trussardi, pure posh power in a belted, embossed leather shearling coat with fox trim.
Taking a page from classic menswear inspired looks and British tradition, the topcoat is back. In rich supple leather, perfect for modern "Mad Men," AM Andrew Marc's polished nappa leather short top coat in chocolate brown can be described as irresistible. Destined to be new classics in leather and suede, there are many new styles that strike a balance between relaxed weekend fare and more formal dressing.
VESTED INTEREST
Designers are also revisiting the vest, reworking this staid British staple in rich new leather and suede in an amazing array of styles that offer a fresh alternative to the jacket. The runways were replete with vests that ran the gamut from sporty chic to pure glamour, from long to short, turned out in brilliant colors and unexpected leather treatments.
New York based fur designer Dennis Basso has turned out the vest to top all vests. A cropped style of unexpected elegance in golden alligator trimmed with Russian sable, topping a layered silk organza gown with embroidered flowers. In Paris, Hermes designer Jean Paul Gaultier, who usually loves to shock, took the high road, turning out a trimmed tuxedo vest in russet suede and karakul. Back in New York Rubin Singer turned out a wrap version of the vest in dramatic copper metallic leather with fox inserts, creating a modern accompaniment to a black leather pant.
From dramatic to classic, from sexy to bold, the buzz is all about leather for fall.
Established in 1990, The Leather Apparel Association (LAA) is a not-for-profit group of retailers, manufacturers, tanners, cleaners and suppliers who together represent nearly 60% of America's retail dollar volume in leather apparel. For a full membership roster as well as information on how to buy and care for leather, visit the LAA's website at www.leatherapparelassociation.com.
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A Coat of a Different Color |
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