Leather is a textile that never goes out of fashion. As a material of choice for thousands of years, the versatility of leather has been integrated into the lives of human beings as they have evolved through the centuries. It has been turned into protective footwear, clothing, armor for armies, books, bags, tents, harnesses and jewellery. In fact, the only limitation is that which has been imposed by mankind’s own imagination.
As we have moved into more modern times, leather has been sewn into furniture, upholstered into cars and railway carriages, and made into works of art.
Why Use of Leather in Fashion Industry Favorites’
But fashion has proven to be the most prolific and agile of industries, reinventing itself year after year to keep leather up there as a premium material. Even as plant based fashion has become more prevalent, it describes itself as vegan leather, rather than adopting a different moniker, because the manufacturers understand the enduring commitment to this robust and popular material. Whether you are looking at a full length leather trench coat, or considering discreet leather bracelets, there are reasons why this highly popular textile never goes out of fashion.
Long lasting and durable
If maintained properly, leather can last for years and years, and often actually improves with age, becoming more supple and softer.
Because leather is a living product, made from the skin of animals, it does need to be cleaner, treated and conditioned to ensure it remains in peak condition – the pay back is that a good leather piece of clothing will last you a lifetime, and still be good enough to be passed onto the next generation.
Invest in a classic piece
You can track the decades by the style and cut of certain leather jackets. If you are seeking to invest in a piece from new, think about its legacy – the more classic the design, the more likely it will survive the test of time. You know you’ve made the right choice when your teenage grandchildren are pulling it out of the back of the wardrobe and begging to borrow it for a party!
Wallow in the luxury
There may be a plethora of cheaper, plant based alternatives in the market, but ultimately real leather is a luxury, and has a price tag to match. With the prevalence of fast fashion bought and shipped online, buying a good leather product requires a return to the old-fashioned timelessness of going into a leather shop and literally smelling your way to the right product.
And while that fast fashion piece probably starts unravelling at the seams as soon as you put it on, your luxury leather piece will last, year after year, and only look better with time!
A living, natural, breathing fabric
The reason why leather is such an excellent product for bags and suitcases is that it is strong, but also that it ‘breathes’. The composition of leather allows the air to move freely through it, helping to keep the product in a good condition, even if it is left at the bottom of a wardrobe for a few years.
The most versatile material in the world
We may have concentrated on the fashion aspect of leather, but the versatility of this fabric reaches across so many different sectors. Stretch it across a hollow tube and you create a drum which has beaten the rhythm of different civilizations and cultures for centuries. Concertina it into a big pair of bellows and you will find air being blasted into furnaces that have crossed generations. Close your eyes and listen to the commentary coming out of London’s The Oval on a summer’s afternoon, and you have the evocative ‘thuck’ of leather on willow during a cricket match. Leather will never go out of fashion!