As the year grows colder it’s time for heavier cuts, darker colours and cosier silhouettes

5th October 2026

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There’s a particular pleasure in the seasonal shift to leather. Summer’s linen and canvas give way to something altogether more serious. Clothes that have weight to them, deeper colours and silhouettes that feel right against a coat collar or a cold wind.

This edit covers the five pieces that define the season. The knee-high boot making its runway comeback, the shearling jacket built for real winters, the crossbody in this year’s richest colours, the heavyweight gloves that do what knits can’t and the leather belt that anchors every layered look.

The knee-high leather boot

The knee-high boot is the footwear hit of autumn/winter 2026. Hermès, Proenza Schouler and Tory Burch have all released riding boots and the style is set to dominate from the catwalk to the high street.

Dear Frances

What to look for: Full-grain calf leather or Nappa, a slim fit, a low to mid block heel, and either a zip or pull-on construction. Avoid heavily embellished versions, the clean, unadorned boot is the one that will stand the test of time.

Shop it:

• Dear Frances Elle Knee Boot (Italy/Australia) — 100% Italian leather upper, hand-stitched, leather insole, lining and outsole throughout. An Australian-founded brand making its boots entirely by hand in Italy producing a slimline silhouette and block heel designed to be worn every day for many years to come.
• Sézane Leather Boots Collection (France) — the Parisian brand’s leather boots are among the finest in their price bracket. They are clean, considered and made with Italian and Spanish leather.
• R.M. Williams Longhorn Boot (Australia) — the iconic Australian bootmaker’s tall leather boot, made in Adelaide from a single piece of leather. Goodyear-welted, resoleable and built on a century of craft tradition.

Dear Frances

The shearling-lined leather jacket

The shearling jacket is the definitive winter leather piece, and one of the oldest. Its origins are in aviation and military outerwear. The B-3 bomber jacket, standard issue to Allied aircrew in World War Two, had full-grain leather outside with dense shearling within.

What to look for: A genuine shearling lining (the real thing is warmer, more durable and improves with age), full-grain leather on the exterior, and a silhouette that isn’t trying too hard. The shearling jacket is already a statement, it doesn’t need embellishment.

Shop it:

• Acne Studios Leather Shearling Jacket (Sweden) — crafted from leather and genuine lamb shearling with a double-breasted cut and adjustable strap at the neck. The Swedish brand brings its signature restraint to what could easily become over-designed outerwear.
• Belstaff Shearling-Lined Leather Jacket (UK) — the British heritage brand has been making leather outerwear since 1924. Its shearling-lined styles draw directly on the brand’s aviation and motorcycling heritage, using full-grain hides that develop a beautiful patina over years of serious wear.
• Himel Bros. Bespoke Shearling Jackets (Canada) — the Toronto workshop makes leather jackets to order from the finest steerhide available. Their shearling-collared and shearling-lined options are among the most coveted in the world among serious leather enthusiasts.

Belstaff

The crossbody in this season’s colours

Autumn/winter 2026 has a clear colour code for leather bags with rich, deep tones dominating. Burgundy, forest green, inky black and deep grey are all shades that work against a heavy coat.

The crossbody is the perfect silhouette for this season. It’s practical enough for daily use, compact enough to transition into evenings, and easy to wear over the layered clothes that colder weather demands.

What to look for: Full-grain leather in a deep seasonal colour, a secure closure, an adjustable strap and the right size to carries a day’s essentials without being too bulky. The crossbody that earns its place this season will be the one still in rotation next autumn.

Shop it:

• Cuyana Top Handle Crossbody Bag (USA/Italy) — crafted in Turkey from premium Italian leather. A considered, minimal silhouette in deep seasonal tones including Midnight Forest and Garnet Stone.
• Latico Leathers Full-Grain Crossbody Collection (USA) — every bag is cut from full-grain leather that only gets softer with age. Latico’s autumn palette runs through the season’s richest tones and the construction is built for daily use over years rather than seasons.
• A.P.C. Leather Crossbody (France) — A.P.C. makes leather goods with the same spare, considered restraint as its clothing. Clean lines, quality leather and no ornamentation. The crossbody in this season’s deep tones is the leather piece that doesn’t need to shout.

Latico

The cashmere-lined leather glove

The leather glove is the most neglected piece in most people’s winter wardrobe. Which is a mistake because a well-made pair of leather gloves with cashmere-lining is warmer, more durable and more elegant than a knitted version. After a few seasons of wear they will be softer and more supple than the day you bought them.

Italy has been the world capital of glove-making for centuries, and the finest houses — many based in Naples and Tuscany — still cut, stitch and finish by hand, using the same techniques that have been in place for generations.

What to look for: A 100% cashmere lining, and a fit that is close but not restrictive. A quality leather glove should feel snug on first wear and soften to your hand within a few uses.

Shop it:

• Merola Gloves Cashmere-Lined Collection (Italy) — a Roman glove maker producing entirely by hand using traditional tools and techniques, often recreating historic glove designs. Each pair is a precise object; the cashmere-lined styles are the benchmark of the form. Ships internationally.
• Luca Faloni Cashmere-Lined Nubuck Leather Gloves (Italy) — entirely handmade by experienced Italian artisans from fine nubuck leather with 100% pure cashmere inside. Designed for city wear and evenings out they are the kind of gloves that add a touch of class.
• Dents Leather Gloves (UK) — the Somerset company has been producing leather gloves since 1777, making it one of Britain’s oldest surviving craft manufacturers. The cashmere-lined styles are worn by everyone from country estates to film sets. As seen on Daniel Craig in Skyfall.

The chunky leather belt

Autumn is the season of layering and the season of the statement belt. Wear one over a chunky knit, through the loops of wide-leg trousers or cinching a coat at the waist. The belt that works hardest in winter is one with presence, a slightly wider strap, a more substantial buckle, leather with a bit of weight to it.

What to look for: A full-grain belt in a slightly wider width than usual (35–40mm is the sweet spot for layered winter dressing), in a deep seasonal tone or a classic black that works with everything. The buckle should be solid and the leather thick enough to hold its structure.

Shop it:

• Anderson’s Woven Leather Belt (Italy) — the Parma institution has been making belts since 1966, and its woven leather styles are the definitive winter option. Textural, substantial, and impossible to replicate in synthetic materials. The rich autumn colourways, burgundy, forest green, chocolate, are made for the season.
• Hollows Leather Bridle Belt (USA) — handmade by Nicholas Hollows in his Oregon workshop from thick, pit-tanned English bridle leather. A single strap, solid brass buckle and a weight and presence that makes it the ideal statement belt for a layered winter wardrobe. Built to last a lifetime.
• Von Baer Full-Grain Leather Belt (Germany/Italy) — Scandinavian design restraint and Italian full-grain leather. A clean, minimal belt in deep seasonal tones, built to work across the layered wardrobe of a northern European winter.

The case for buying leather in Autumn

There is a practical argument for buying leather in autumn that goes beyond trend. Leather requires wear and warmth to break in and the colder months, when you’ll reach for the same jacket or boots day after day, are the ideal time to do that.

That’s the way leather works. It doesn’t arrive as the finished article. It arrives ready to become something, through the use you put it to. Autumn is the best time to start.