Things you hardly know about leather material – The symbol of high fashion
What is behind leather material – the most luxurious material of high fashion? How to use leather in an environmentally friendly way?
Accessories and outfits made of leather materials have existed for a long time and are an integral part of high fashion. The past year has witnessed the “explosion” of animal skin motifs. Leather goods were very popular in the past, now they are getting even more popular. So, what is the story behind this material? Why is the appearance of artificial leather and what does it mean in today’s sustainable fashion trend?
HOW HAVE LEATHER GOODS DEVELOPED?
Being a clear evidence of human ingenuity and resourcefulness, leather material plays an important part in the development of civilization. Since ancient times, leather materials have always been in line with the development of fashion and creativity.
(Image: Plantbasednews)
Throughout history, wearing leather means synonymous with status. Leather products represented the luxury due to its high cost and complex handling. Only the nobility and wealthy people could afford to use leather.
From the 1960s to the 1970s, there were many designers who dived into the creation of leather. European fashion houses such as Claude Montana, Versace, Armani, Ungaro, Fendi, Gucci, Alaia and Hermès led the way in designing leather outfits in the 1980s. By the late 1980s, many of America’s leading names also discovered infinite possibilities of skin such as Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Geoffrey Beene, Donna Karan and Bill Blass.
Ralph Laurent leather goods in the late 70’s. (Image: Ralphlaurent)
Designers are constantly innovating and changing, seeking to bring modernity and trendiness into leather. Crocodile skin, snake skin and ostriches have stormed the couture catwalk. Besides, there are also the introduction of unique skin types such as glossy and suede leather. Although it is impossible to foresee the evolution of fashion, leather is undoubtedly an important part of contemporary dress culture.
WHERE DO THE LEATHER MATERIAL’S ATTRACTION COME FROM?
Luxurious leather and status statement
Leather products have many great uses but are difficult to handle raw materials and preserve. Therefore, leather goods are always expensive and luxurious. The ownership of leather shows the position of the owner, from clothing to furniture.
Nowadays, although leather goods have become more popular and easier to buy, they are still at an affordable price. Many people still use leather as a declaration of style and social status.
(Photo: Brunotarsia)
Leather is durable
Preserving and cleaning leather goods is relatively more labor intensive than normal fabrics. But in return, leather is very durable and even more beautiful as the item’s shelf life increases. It is not difficult to understand when the old bags, watches, leather shoes are even hunted and sold at prices that are much higher than new ones.
(Photo: @my_philocaly)
Costumes made from stylish leather and easy to combine
Leather always looks fashionable for the wearer. We rarely see any leather items that are out of date. Investing in a leather bag or simple leather boots is always a smart choice, because they can be combined with any outfit.
(Photo: @ insideout.consulting)
PETA’S AGAINST LEATHER PRODUCTS CAMPAIGN
PETA Association, together with designer Stella McCartney, launched a campaign to oppose the use of genuine leather during London Fashion Week 2012. The campaign calls for fashion followers not to use clothes made from animal skin and fur. A campaign promotional video has been made, which strongly impacts the viewers’ emotions.
Later, a series of big names like Marc Bouwer, Natalie Portman and Joan Jett learned about the brutality in the leather industry. They have limited leather and insisted that we can still look stylish without having to kill any animals.
Many high-end fashion brands such as Gucci, Chanel, Burberry, Prada, Versace, Coach … also said no to the use of animal skin and fur. More and more designs are made of materials to replace genuine leather but still retain the elegance, a good sign for fashion lovers who love the environment.
Along with that, popular fashion brands such as H&M, Zara, Topshop … have also committed to the public to remove products made from real leather and fur from their categories, replacing them with other artificial materials.
ARTIFICIAL LEATHER MATERIAL – PERFECT REPLACEMENT
WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL LEATHER MATERIAL AND HOW IS IT REPLACING REAL LEATHER MATERIAL?
Imitation leather, also known as synthetic leather, is a great alternative to genuine leather. With petroleum-based ingredients, it has many properties similar to real leather but does not require the killing of animals.
(Image: Standard UK)
Application of imitation leather is similar to that of genuine leather, including the manufacture of furniture, apparel and fashion accessories. Fake leather is highly resistant to water and fouling and is easy to clean. Although fake leather is less durable than genuine leather, it is resistant to abrasion and difficult to cut. And yet, fake leather can be dyed to any color that the manufacturer wants. This brings endless creativity to the fashion house.
Synthetic leather can be dyed into a multitude of different colors. (Photo: Styledumonde)
When you look at leather, it is very difficult to distinguish between genuine and synthetic leather. However, we can still distinguish them through manual contact. Synthetic leather feels very “plastic” to the touch, different from the soft elasticity of real leather.
WHAT ARE COMBINED LEATHER TYPES?
PU LEATHER
It is the cheapest synthetic leather on the market but has poor durability and uncomfortable use not like other types of leather.
(Photo: @lissyroddyy)
PVC LEATHER
PVC leather is slightly more durable than PU leather and is also produced in larger quantities.
Transparent PVC jackets cover the Fendi catwalk in 2019
OIL SKIN
In addition to being more environmentally friendly, oily skin is somewhat more durable than PU and PVC leather. However, this material is also significantly more expensive than other types of synthetic leather. This skin type is a suitable product for vegans who want to protect the environment.
(Photo: @stellamccartney)
VEGETABLE LEATHER MATERIAL – AN POSITIVE MESSAGE TO THE ENVIRONMENT
The synthetic leather in the long term still causes negative effects on the environment. Fortunately, there are still plenty of plant-based leather ingredients like cork and cacti. The cork is taken from the bark of the tree without harming the tree or their growth. The cork is also covered in suberin and acts as a water-resistant wax, perfect for the production of vegan handbags and leather boots.
Vegan leather jacket from the Free People brand. (Photo: PETA)
High-end vegan fashion is a trend that is very interested by many people and is getting very popular. There are many brands that produce vegan accessories from vegetable oils. Some typical names with beautiful designs that are as good as genuine leather like Stella McCartney, Nanuskha, Angela Roi, Matt & Nat …
Stella McCartney
Designer Stella McCartney was considered the “vegan queen”. Stella was one of the first stylists to assert her ethical position in artistic creation. She strongly opposed the fashion industry of killing many animals to get leather. Although not using genuine leather, the products of this high-end fashion brand still retain the luxury and elegance.
Matt & Nat
Short for “Matterial and Nature”, Matt & Nat debuted almost 20 years ago in Montreal. The brand inspired and developed products based on natural ingredients from plants. They also expanded to recycle materials such as nylon, cardboard, rubber and cork to protect the environment.
Nanuskha
Nanushka is a brand based in Budapest, the capital of Hungary. This brand prides itself on providing “sexy” alternatives to genuine leather. The brand always committed to bringing benefits back to the local community.
Angela Whip
American designer Angela Roi is proud of her luxurious vegan bags from eco-friendly EPU leather. Brands are constantly looking for new materials. Angela Roi also won customers’ trust by extracting her profits to ASPCA – the Association to prevent cruelty to animals.
Implementation team
Summary: Khanh Thy
Source: ELLE Women’s Magazine
Reference: Designboom, Eluxemagazine, Mahileather, Sewport
