CNN
—
Editor’s note: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, “Look of the Week” is a recurring series breaking down the most talked-about outfits from the past seven days.
As the sun beat down on New York City on Tuesday and temperatures in the concrete jungle soared to over 80 degrees Fahrenheit, actress and “Long Legs” star Maika Monroe stepped out in an unexpected fabric: patent sheepskin.
Similarly, last week, Monroe showed up to the Los Angeles premiere of the 1990s-style serial killer thriller wearing a leather sarong and matching bra by Courrèges. Both outfits seemed like bold choices in what promises to be a sweltering summer in much of the Northern Hemisphere.
But Monroe isn’t the only one to opt for the out-of-season material: Even though it was only July, another bona fide scream queen, Mia Goth, opted for a leather corset midi dress by Versace for an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live earlier this month. And for the Los Angeles premiere of “MaXXXine,” Goth wore an edgy halter dress by Ludovic de Saint-Sernin, but the star of the show was a peek-a-boo leather bralette.
You don’t have to be a horror movie star to rock a summer leather look. On July 11, Kate Hudson was photographed in Manhattan’s SoHo wearing sexy lace-up leather pants, while across the pond, British radio and TV presenter Vic Hope arrived at Wimbledon in a burgundy leather vest, shorts and a collarless leather coat (admittedly, London’s weather is a little more suited to leather this summer). Rita Ora seems to be sticking to all-red clothing while promoting her new film, Descents: The Rise of Red, and wore not one but two leather outfits in New York.
When did we start to realize the potential of leather for the off-season? Once a winter wardrobe staple, this material is apparently summer’s hottest trend. It all started with Bottega Veneta, the Italian fashion house widely credited with pushing the boundaries of textiles, both symbolically and literally. In September 2022, creative director Mathieu Blazy showed off one leather illusion after another on the runway for his fall/winter collection. Since then, his meticulous renditions of blue jeans, plaid shirts, and woven beach bags have redefined what leather can be.
Or is this a trickle-down effect from our current crop of pop stars? Dua Lipa headlined Glastonbury Festival in a custom leather minidress by Chrome Hearts, while Rosalía, known to fans as Moto Mami, wore shiny leather pants to her set at Coachella in Palm Springs. Charli XCX, creator of the summer’s defining album Brat, has professed his love for frayed Yves Saint Laurent leather coats and is often spotted wearing a range of biker jackets in his off-duty time.
Regardless of where this trend came from, one thing is for sure: leather jackets are no longer just for Christmas, they can be worn all year round.
