As the popularity of Y2K style continues to surge, from chain belts to 1990s Jean Paul Gaultier ‘naked’ dresses, the latest item to have its moment in the sartorial spotlight is the racing jacket.
Contrary to its wardrobe counterpart the black leather jacket, the Italian streetwear staple is adding an injection of colour and texture to our wardrobes next season, after it was seen on several brand’s AW22 runways earlier this year, from Chloe and Dior, to Alexander McQueen.
Balmain led the trend at full speed, with a collection dedicated to big shoulders and intricate details, from bulky blazers to floral laces. Styling the motor bike jacket with all-black ensembles and chunky boots. Meanwhile, Diesel showcased its modern take of the cover up with knee-high boots and mini wrap skirts.
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Models Bella Hadid and Hailey Bieber, as well as beauty entrepreneur Kylie Jenner and Miu Miu’s latest muse, TikToker Oliva Neill, have already added the ‘model-off-duty’ transeasonal cover up to their closets, wearing cropped, vintage and oversized styles from the likes of Bilt and Thierry Mugler.
‘Fashion is cyclical, the motorsport jacket was huge in the early Noughties, so it makes sense we see Gen Z's like Dua Lipa and Hailey Bieber reviving the trend now,’ Erin Gunn, Senior Private Client Stylist at Farfetch, tells ELLE UK of the wardrobe item.
Fashion has long had a distinct role in motorsport, with hardwearing leather materials used for racing drivers, and stripes and panelled blocks of colour seen in Formula One and motocross to represent a team's colour. Think bold red for Ferrari, McLaren orange and brand logos covering lapels and shoulder pads.
In the 1990s, the motocross jacket made its way off the tarmac, with the 1995 classic film Hackers showing a then 19-year-old Angelina Jolie in a fitted, white and red leather jacket with a rounded collar, styled with her pixie black haircut and a blue turtleneck. Meanwhile, in 2003, Uma Thurman wore the now decade-defining Kill Bill cropped yellow racing jacket with coordinating trousers, which featuring black paneling, logo patches, and a tight fitting silhouette.
Sporty Leather Jackets To Buy Now
Karen Millen - £209.00 Leather Colourblock 90s Biker Jacket
Philipp Plein- £4,106.00 Logo colour-block jacket
Gucci Pre-Owned - £1,588.00 Panelled fringed leather jacket
Diesel - £995.00 Colour-block leather jacket
Miu Miu Leather biker jacket
Karen Millen - £209.00 Leather Colourblock 90s Biker Jacket
Gunn continues: ‘You don't need to wear a full head-to-toe leather look to get the point across. I love how Devon Lee Carlson wore her vintage version with a slip skirt - pairing something hard, like the motorsport jacket, with delicate fabrics brings a bit of softness and wearability to an outfit. You can also play with proportions by wearing it with loose-fitting trousers, cargo pants or your favourite boyfriend jeans.’
Style yours à la Bieber with matching red sunglasses and parachute trousers, or like Jenner with an undone, distressed denim mini skirt and black lace-up heels.
