Leather re-emerges for Fall-Winter 2015-2016

If you can only keep one thing in mind from the Fall-Winter 2015-2016 runway trends, it should be leather, the must-have material for the season. Classic in black, modern in colored and printed versions, and ultra-chic when teamed with gold or metallic details: leather has been updated and is back on top.

Leather has always been associated with rock music, particularly in the form of the iconic leather jacket, and it has never really left women's wardrobes in ready-to-wear and accessories. But this season has seen it move more into the limelight and take many different forms.

This comeback is also due to the strong 1970s trend which could still be seen on the catwalks in the Fall-Winter 2015-2016 collections. Fashionistas will be able to get their fix of leather in its more classic forms and will also be able to put together outfits with more modern and feminine pieces.

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LEATHER IN 2015

Having decided to give it pride of place in women's wardrobes, fashion designers have reinvented leather this year. Some gave it a stronger identity in colored and printed versions, although black was still the favorite shade. Mugler opted for green leather while Hermès went for red.

Other fashion houses preferred to give it a feminine-masculine feel, contrasting with the rocker style of the 1970s. This was seen with the Each & Other brand, which offered various leather pieces, including a jumpsuit in black nappa leather, worn with low-heeled boots to avoid the overly sexy Catwoman effect.

Long coats, wide trousers, dresses and even dungarees: leather is taking unusual forms this season, and can even be worn as a head-to-toe look for the more adventurous fashion fans. Barbara Bui showcased a long split leather skirt, and Chalayan gave us leather dungarees worn with nothing underneath. Emanuel Ungaro came up with high-waisted wide trousers which were the epitome of elegance.

Pleated or fringed skirts, graphic-style dresses and high-waisted trousers: some designers went for an ultra-feminine and sophisticated leather look. This was the case at Roland Mouret, with its khaki dress with transparent sleeves, and at Alexander McQueen which brought us a low-cut backless dress in paper-thin leather with very feminine details.

The rock and roll vibe remained at a few collections, in a feminine and sexy form. A string of fashion houses such as Hermès, Each & Other and Anthony Vaccarello put their own stamp on the leather jacket, which was more feminine than in previous years. Barbara Bui showed us various leather trousers and leggings, and Saint Laurent went for a dark, very sexy approach with mini dresses, leggings, jackets and thigh-high boots.