The leather trench is fall's defining coat, and here's how to wear it

If you’ve scrolled past one too many street style photos this month and felt a small pang of coat envy, you’re not imagining things. The leather trench has quietly taken over from the classic beige gabardine as the piece everyone from fashion editors to your favourite curator-coded Instagram account is wearing right now.

Why this coat, why now

On Burberry’s Fall/Winter 2025-2026 runway, the British brand best known for trench coats presented leather interpretations of their classic silhouettes: reddish brown, black, and deep green belted trench coats of varying lengths. Elsewhere in the Fall/Winter collections, Fendi offered a leather trench with a buckle belt detail, Khaite styled one open with weather appropriate layering underneath, Chloé paired a rich brown matrix-esque silhouette with a fur scarf and chain belt, and Alaïa featured one with a super puffy collar detail that played with volume and dimension.

It didn’t stop on one runway. After a strong showing on the runway, where houses like Bottega Veneta, Dior, and Balenciaga sent versions down the catwalk in a range of cuts and finishes, it’s hardly surprising the style has been on a hot streak since fashion month wrapped. Street style photographers have been catching the same coat on front-row regulars and people just doing their Tuesday errands, which tells you a trend has properly landed.

Colour is doing interesting things too. At Celine, a purple leather trench coat got accented with red accessories, a combination that’s already become beloved by daring dressers this year, while most other designers leaned all the way in, debuting monochromatic ensembles in the hue. If purple feels like a reach for a Tuesday, you’re in good company: black, chocolate brown and deep green are doing most of the heavy lifting on real streets.

Getting the cut right

Not every leather trench looks the same, and that’s half the appeal. Long, belted models remain a safe bet, while oversized versions with slightly dropped shoulders offer a modern and easy-to-wear style. If you already own a classic cotton gabardine trench, think of the leather version as its moodier sibling rather than a replacement.

The belt is doing a lot of the styling work this season. The belt is the detail that matters: it turns a boxy leather coat into something with a waist, which is what separates this year’s version from a 2019 moto jacket. Cinch it at the waist for anything structured, or let it hang open and loose over a jumper when you want the coat to read more relaxed than sharp.

You don’t need actual hide to get the look. Oversized versions with slightly dropped shoulders offer a modern and easy-to-wear style, and the faux leather trench coat pairs well with a wide variety of outfits, worn open over straight-leg jeans and a knit sweater for a sophisticated everyday look. Faux leather (sometimes labelled vegan leather or leather-effect) is lighter to wear, easier to care for and, as you’ll see below, a lot friendlier on a student or early-career budget.

Four ways to wear it

A coat this strong can carry a week of different plans if you change what’s underneath and how you belt it. Here’s a formula for four situations that actually come up.

Class

Go oversized and unbelted over a chunky knit. Worn over a chunky knit or a cozy sweater, it effortlessly combines comfort and style. Pair a cream or oatmeal roll-neck with wide-leg jeans and the coat left open; it reads put-together without trying, and you can shrug it off the second a lecture hall gets stuffy.

Work or internship

Belt it, button it, keep the rest tailored. A fine-knit polo or a simple white shirt under the coat, straight trousers in grey or navy, loafers or a low block heel. The leather does the statement work, so everything else stays quiet.

Weekend

This is where the coat gets to be a little louder. Layer it over a graphic tee or a soft stripe top, straight-leg or slightly flared denim, and chunky trainers or lug-sole boots. Leave the belt loose or tied in front rather than cinched, so the whole thing moves easily between a coffee run and a market.

Going out

Swap jeans for a slip skirt or satin trousers, add a strappy top, and let the leather trench do the job a jacket usually would. Short heeled boots and minimal jewellery keep the focus on the coat’s shape rather than competing with it.

Occasion	The pieces	Budget-friendly version	Second-hand find
Class	Oversized leather trench, cream roll-neck, wide-leg jeans	Faux leather trench left unbelted, basic knit, straight denim	Vintage-shop trench in a worn-in tan or black, any decade
Work or internship	Belted leather trench, white shirt, tailored trousers, loafers	Faux leather trench buttoned up, cotton shirt, charity-shop trousers	Structured real-leather trench from a resale app, tailored at a local seamstress if the sleeves run long
Weekend	Trench over a graphic tee, flared jeans, chunky trainers	Same formula, trench from a high street faux leather rail	A slightly scuffed vintage trench; the wear reads intentional on weekends
Going out	Trench over a slip skirt or satin trousers, strappy top, heeled boots	Faux leather trench, jersey slip skirt, block heels	A shorter vintage leather trench from a local vintage fair, worn open as a jacket

What it actually costs to get the look

You do not need to spend designer money to wear this trend well. On the high end, the Nour Hammour Joni Coat runs $2,660, with a mid-tier option like the Sportmax Fata Belted Buttoned Trench at $965. On the high street, Zara’s faux leather long trench coat currently lists for $149, and that’s before any seasonal markdown. Resale is where the real savings show up: vintage and pre-loved leather trenches regularly turn up on Vinted for well under £50, including a full-length vintage leather trench spotted at £69 and smaller vintage leather pieces going for as little as £20 to £30.

If you’re shopping second-hand, search both “leather trench” and “faux leather trench” since listings get filed inconsistently, and check the material tag before buying: genuine leather needs a slightly different care routine than the coated or PU versions, mainly avoiding soaking it and keeping it away from direct heat when drying.

Making one coat do more work

The appeal of the leather trench isn’t really about having something new. It’s that one coat, styled four different ways, can replace a jacket, a blazer and a going-out layer all at once, which matters if your coat budget is better spent on one good piece than three mediocre ones. Rewearing it across the whole season, in front of different people, in different combinations, is exactly how a wardrobe staple earns its keep.

If you already own a trench in any finish, before buying anything new, try the oversized-and-unbelted version over a knit first. There’s a decent chance the coat doing the rounds on runways this season is already hanging in your closet, just waiting for a different outfit underneath it.

The leather trench is fall’s defining coat, and here’s how to wear it