Chief among them? The humble suede jacket, and it’s set to be one of the must-have items for autumn/winter 2024. For those who keep a close eye on the catwalks, this should come as little surprise: the luxurious leather fabric has featured repeatedly in recent designer collections.

Miu Miu AW24

Gucci RE25

The jacket was seen in its most classic, chocolate brown form at Ralph Lauren, and with a Western twist as part of Pharrell Williams‘ AW24 menswear show for Louis Vuitton, while Bottega Veneta and Jacquemus gave the staple a modern update in bright hues of yellow and green. There were multiple iterations at Gucci’s latest Resort show, too – think playful short-sleeved, cropped, monogrammed and cape styles.

But as ever, it was Miu Miu that truly cemented the trend, elevating the suede jacket to cult status with embossed logos and luxurious embroidery at its AW24 show – and despite the elevated price-tag, a number of the brand’s takes on the staple have already sold out online.

Naturally, the street style set was quick to take note, and a number of show-goers at Copenhagen Fashion Week were spotted layering suede outerwear with summer dresses, oversized shirts and sheer skirts, or atop a white vest-top and jeans combo. The piece’s versatility is key to its appeal, providing an extra bit of warmth on chilly days but also serving to smarten up laid-back looks – particularly if you opt for a more structured blazer-esque iteration.

The recent re-emergence of the boho aesthetic has certainly played its part in the suede jacket’s return, too. For full Sienna Miller vibes, style a light brown fringed design with a floaty lace dress and Chloé wedges or boots. You can also lean into a more Western bohemian aesthetic à la Bella Hadid, who recently shared an off-duty photo of herself wearing a looser style with a cotton shirt and jeans.

Given its leather formulation, a suede jacket can be quite the investment buy, but there are also plenty of more affordable versions that are no less chic. Look to COS’ black embroidered design for elegant Miu Miu vibes at a lower price-point, Massimo Dutti for Loewe-esque bombers, while vintage is the way to go for a jacket with an authentic, lived-in feel (and you’ll find some serious pre-loved designer treasures on the likes of Vestiaire and eBay too). Don’t overlook the menswear section if you’re after more oversized, boxy styles, either.

Whichever you choose, one thing is certain: this is one wardrobe staple that you’ll reach for time and time again, whether in the summer, autumn, winter, spring, or during that tricky between-seasons period too – so if we’re talking cost-per-wear, it comes out to practically zero. That’s what we’re telling ourselves to justify the price of that epic embroidered Miu Miu suede jacket, at least…

The Best Suede Jackets To Shop Now

COS Sequinned Suede Jacket

Magda Butrym Oversized Suede Jacket

Miu Miu Embroidered Suede Jacket

Bode Trefoil Leather-Trimmed Suede Jacket

Saint Laurent Pre-Loved Suede Jacket, EU 38

Massimo Dutti Suede Leather Bomber Jacket

---

ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE.

Clementina Jackson is Acting Site Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, working across news and features, trends, e-commerce and SEO. She was previously Fashion Editor at Cosmopolitan and Women’s Health, and Acting Digital Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, where she was named as a PPA 30 Under 30 award winner for her work on size inclusivity. An experienced fashion, travel and luxury lifestyle journalist, Clementina has also written for Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Condé Nast Traveller, Tatler, Red and Italy Segreta.