Could the leather coat be the new fur? Milan Fashion Week certainly thinks so

For anyone keen to get a handle now on what to wear next season, the current carousel of fashion weeks serves as essential viewing.

However, it can be a headache to take in. From city to city, show to show, cocktail dress to cocktail dress, understanding which trends to pay attention to — and which to ignore entirely — is a skill which can leave even the most seasoned fashion critic perplexed.

Then again, there are some trends that can’t be ignored. Accordingly, Milan Fashion Week brought concrete proof of the must-have luxury item every dedicated follower of fashion will have in their wardrobe next spring. That item is the leather coat. And, as one might expect in Milan — a fashion capital long renowned for its obsession with supreme craftsmanship — in the battle for the best the bar was set exceptionally high.

The gauntlet was laid down by Prada, whose vision for next spring includes a simple yet spectacular black leather car coat.

Backstage, Mrs Prada described her collection as a “clash between two opposites” — on the one hand, “freedom, liberation and fantasy”, and the other “extreme conservatism”. Certainly, it was a tricky balance to strike. Yet, in the hands of the woman credited with turning that which is “ugly” beautiful, the contradictory was her comfort zone. And, against the tie-dye satin babydoll dresses and bodysuits scooped to the navel, the leather coat turned heads as much for its quiet rebellion as its “touch-me-please” sheen.

Elsewhere on the catwalk, the leather coat took on new meaning. At Max Mara the style became an essential weapon in the power-dresser’s armoury, presented in large-and-in-charge proportions by models who marched out confidently, hands on hips. At Fendi, the vibe was utilitarian practicality with perforated leather coats furnished with multiple XL pockets. When it was time for Donatella Versace to take a turn on the catwalk, vibrant colour was added to the mix with leather coats in shades of lipstick red and highlighter yellow on offer for next season.

No.21 and Marni also joined the pack — the former with glossy black vinyl, the latter with finger-painted suede — and with that, the ultimate “It-buy” of the season was born.

Unsurprisingly, it was in the hands of the Milanese houses which began life as purveyors of leather goods that the leather coat looked most at home. Among them Salvatore Ferragamo — a brand best known for its bags and shoes — where soft leather coats in shades of butterscotch and teal were among the finest on display. As were the patchwork styles by Tod’s.

But why so much leather? After the news that Italian heavyweights Gucci and Versace would no longer include fur in their catwalk collections, the re-emergence of leather as a viable outerwear textile is telling. Not least because it suggests the leather coat could be poised to replace the fur coat as 2019’s super-rich status symbol — admittedly, with its own set of ethics and animal rights issues to contend with. Though undoubtedly, it’s a step in a new direction for a fashion capital which counts fur among its driving forces.

What is also worth noting about the trend set to dominate next spring is that it is relevant for your winter wardrobe too. Given the industry’s desire to create clothes with global appeal, and with it an indifference to seasons, the leather coat promises lovers of luxury a style that they can wear, and buy, whenever they want. How’s that for next season now?