The other factor that is also helping to push this look further is the introduction of high-quality vegan leather designs. Cult brand Nanushka could be accredited with really spearheading this movement, but you’ll now find cool faux-leather iterations across designer houses and at high street stores—I’ve noticed Mango is particularly good for them. Keep scrolling to shop out the best leather trousers from designer brands, affordable stores and also faux leather creations.
I’ve become a woman possessed—I simply must own a pair of leather trousers this year. It’s really rare that this kind of desire sweeps over me; for a fashion editor I actually buy very little. So when the urge comes, I know I should follow it as 99.9 per cent of the time, it results in a sensible purchase that I’ll get plenty of wear out of for years to come.
Once upon a time leather trousers were the ultimate in discomfort. One can’t help but instantly conjure up images of Ross from Friends and his leather-pant disaster when considering them. But since then the technology behind the hides and fabrics used has moved on leaps and bounds (stretch leather and leather-blends are a thing of absolute genius), we’re now at a point where the association with talcum powder is all but obliterated.
As we’ve already mentioned in various stories about denim thriving during lockdown, it looks like the same could be said for the older, chicer sibling to jeans—leather trousers are more than twice as searched-for this year versus last according to Google trends. A quick look on e-commerce sites such as NET-A-PORTER or MatchesFashion shows that there are double the amount of leather trousers as there are leather skirts on offer right now. Why? Well, as a category the styles available have really opened up. Not so long along the only leather trousers en vogue were just skinny and tight, like a pair of spray-on jeans. These days you’ll find leather joggers, wide-leg cuts, cropped flares, tapered legs, paper-bag waists, and all sorts of colours, ranging from classic black or cream through brown, snakeprint, burgundy, croco-stamped, pastels and much more.
This leather-blend makes the finish lightweight and very comfortable to wear.
I love the little retro belt addition here—makes a simple pair of black leather trousers even more special.
Top of my list? A brown pair of leather trousers. This looser cut is perfect for WFH.
The kind of super-luxe leather trousers you’ll pass down generation after generation.
Joseph is famed for its leather leggings, but the other styles are just as sumptuous and a perfect fit. These cream wide-legs are just divine!
Reiss’s leather jackets are well-loved by editors everywhere, but they do other great leather pieces too. These croco-stamped trousers are really something.
Trust Arket to do the chicest, simplest black leather trousers.
Leather is an expensive fabric, so it’s worth checking out sales if you want to invest in a good pair like these.
Stories has quite a wide selection of black leather trousers in different silhouettes. These cropped flares feel very Parisian.
H&M has both real leather and faux leather options aplenty. I thought these tan ones felt very classic and could work for many varied personal styles.
Many curve brands seem to default to skinny styles, but I love that Asos are supplying some cooler cuts like these easy joggers.
Okay, now we’re talking! How amazing are these bad boys?
Nanushka’s vegan leather pieces are adored by influencers and stylists across the globe—Lucy is wearing a pair in the picture above.
If you want your leather trousers to scream “spring!” then these are the ones.
A subtle colour difference and a good crop for wearing with spring’s coolest loafers. Next up, the denim outfit ideas we love for 2021.
