Easily Suede

Suede is to fabric, what black is to colour: timeless, untethered and effortlessly cool. As a material, it falls under several style tribes, with hippies, cowboys, chic bohemians, and rockers all staking their claim to suede. As trends whip past us quicker than we can say ‘fast fashion’, suede and its fad-defying nature and propensity to age gracefully have made it the fabric of the moment. 

Admittedly, we’re not the neatest of girls. The bottom of our bags are carpeted with empty gum wrappers and lighters “borrowed” from honest pub-goers. During rush hour crushes our bags become shields between us and the masses, and it’s fair to say they take a good beating. Despite all this, we’re a fashion magazine, practicality has never been our M.O.! 

Which is why we simply can’t resist the call of the sandy suede trend that has been softly storming the runways this past season. Roomy bags fit for roadside rootling around in are crafted in biscuity suedes, while suede leather jackets are being reclaimed from the Fleetwood Mac generation and are being re-designed for today (well, there’s only so many ways to re-design the classic suede jacket…). 

Chloé’s Chemena Kamali ushered suede back into our wishlists with her AW24 debut for the French house known for its flou dressing. Soft dresses were paired with slouchy bags in leather trimmed tan suede, adding a bohemian flair. And Prada had us positively ravenous with their chocolate brown belted suede bag conveniently morphing into a square of Cadbury’s and looking good enough to eat. Sandro’s suede offering is a highly desirable mahogany bucket bag featuring leather trims. Wear it with a shorter strap for a crumpled-under-coat look or a cross-body extension for if you’re on the go. 

And while tan suede jackets were a favourite of 70s football managers, in the hands of Raf and Mrs P, Prada came up with  a dolly-esque jacket, with chunky full-moon buttons and a sweet rounded collar. If you’re into the more folky-fashioning of suede, Vince perfected their take with a more tailored jacket, a personal fave amongst our team and as styled by Nell, here. 

We know what you're thinking: suede + London rain = catastrophe! (French accent necessary) but fear not, for this sturdy fabric prevails despite smudges and droplets, (why do you think cowboy chaps were made of the leather?) and can be as highly practical as it is now fashionable.

If Prada’s rendition of suede is more your bag (literally) then please, messy-girl habits aside, treat that baby with some garment protection spray. However, if like us and you’re willing to see how you fare in the digital thrift store that is Vinted, then lean into the more bruised and used side of suede and know that with age, it only gets better.