Be it military, sporting or ultra luxe, fabric ... - Thomas Stubbs

“Blousons are on trend this winter, and the classic fabric
is leather. We have suede blousons from Loro Piana
(pictured on next page, £3,000), shearling-collared
flight jackets from Ami (£950), nappa Harringtons from
Brioni (pictured on previous page, £2,870), and bikers
from Gucci (£2,520).” (Ami is an excellent emerging
French brand, and its flyer jacket is thick, tarmacadamdark
and without a whiff of Biggles.) “The most
important thing with a leather is fit – it should be snug
when you first buy, because it will give like a pair of
shoes,” Bateman advises. “Second is shape, and this is
personal. I like a knitted hem and cuff because I have a
long body and short-ish legs, so this style shortens the
proportion of the body and gives me a better overall
look.” And colour? “We have them in navy blue, olive
green and tan as well as black and brown.”
The treatment of leather to achieve distinctive colours
and patinas is a signature technique of Berluti – a
French brand founded by the Italian bootmaker. Now,
its first season of ready-to-wear menswear uses the
house’s artisan processes to striking effect on simple
leather biker jackets (pictured right, price on request),
where an almost antique quality is achieved. The darkgreen
zip leather is hand-patinated at the end of a
vegetal tanning processing that takes more than 25
hours. It has a remarkable, stippled patina, making
for a distinctive piece in conjunction with its cut.
“Leathers are constructed following the tailor-made
rules that we normally use for handmade suits,” says
artistic director Alessandro Sartori. “This, together
with the rich colour, and the quality of the patina are
making the Berluti leather garments as iconic as the
shoes.” Another simple sheath-like jacket is in a
shiny bordeaux and navy reversible nappa baby
calfskin (price on request). It’s an example
of Berluti’s artisanal colouration
prowess, and a great-looking biker
interpretation to boot.
Jackets go through further
fabric experimentation in the
hands of motorcycle clothing
brand Belstaff, the first
company to ever use waxed
cotton. There’s a classic-cut
biker in graphite-grey waxed
crocodile (£60,000);
chocolate croc takes on the
famous Roadmaster belted
four-pocket jacket (£80,000);
and on-trend quilted leather
versions of both styles.
However, the shearling biker
and Roadmaster are the
coups of the season, both in
black with taped seams. Such
dark and refined shearlings
and sheepskins are a key look.
Italian luxury tailoring house
Brioni seasonally produces a
couple of covetable hide
jackets. The best this autumn is
a plush black suede blouson
(£6,600) with leather piping and
mink-fur lining and collar. A
structured coat between a classic
sheepskin and car-coat style, in a
dark, cocoa shearling, has an almost
1970s accent (£3,900). This shape is good
for men who are not suited to overly waistconscious
jackets. Rich, intense ebony
bonded-sheepskin car coats come from
Spanish leather designer Loewe (from
£2,895); it makes convincing black, padded
suede field jackets (from £4,450), too. Also
subtly retro are peat-dark nubuck coats
bonded with sheepskin collars and lapels
(£6,250), and no stigma of 1970s football
manager is hinted at.
Head of menswear at Harrods,
Jason Broderick, clearly enjoys designer
68
Clockwise from main
picture: leather jacket,
price on request, by Berluti
at Harrods. Leather and
shearling flying jacket,
£4,600, by Louis Vuitton.
Calf-skin blouson, £2,335, by
Tod’s. Lamb-suede trench
coat, £4,050, by Ralph
Lauren Purple Label.
Shearling and nubuck car
coat, £6,250, by Loewe
“Shearling’s cocooning quality has
been perfectly employed by
designers Margiela and McQueen”
interpretations of sheepskin and shearling. “They’ve
always been winter staples and are a fantastic way to add
texture and warmth. The cocooning qualities of sheepskin
and shearling has been perfectly employed by designers
such as Margiela and McQueen.” His favourite? “I love
the sumptuous leather jackets with shearling trim,
especially this year’s Alexander McQueen coat (£4,400).”
Other directional retailers assert that it’s the updated
classic designs that work best for their customers.
“We’ve found the strongest pieces are those that give a
nod to iconic styles – the biker, bomber and flying jacket
– while adding a contemporary spin,” Stacey Smith,
buyer for Matches boutiques, tells me. “Acne has
retooled the biker, with some great black leather and
fabric-mix versions (£460).” The fashion-led Swedish
label has also created Blue – a black shiny, quite boxy,
leather jacket (£950). “Lanvin’s blouson comes in
two-tone leather (£1,830), adding a graphic sense to a
menswear staple. Gucci’s horse-leather jacket (pictured
right, £2,520) is a modern reinterpretation of the 1940s
aviator jacket,” continues Smith. The Gucci flyer’s patch
pockets and ribbed waistband are a little retro – but not
overtly so. Flying jackets are a strong, manly story, and
easy to wear with conviction at most ages while
channelling the current fur trend in an understated
manner. Louis Vuitton’s no-nonsense approach to its
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