To Faux or Not to Faux is a choice you make! A conscious decision the fashion industry is making towards animal welfare and sustainability, faux leather is slowly and gradually warming up to mainstream fashion as well.
With an array of brands and fashion designers including faux leather into their designs, it is only a matter of time that animals won’t be skinned for fashion. And Bollywood actresses including Deepika Padukone, Madhuri Dixit-Nene, Alia Bhatt, Kriti Kharbanda and Malaika Arora among others are making way for the sexy, sassy, and sustainable faux leather!
Faux leather has been garnering the love and attention across social media thanks to the initiative of Bollywood stars and their stylists. From chic co-ord sets to a little black dress, brands and designers have given this versatile man-made fabric a stylish makeover. Be it Shantanu & Nikhil’s classic structured waistcoats with intricate faux leather detailing or Pink Porcupine’s shiny faux leather skirt worn by Alia Bhatt, this man made textile can mirror animal-derived leather qualities like a boss.
“With the Y2K trends making a comeback this year, it is but natural that faux leather is back in fashion. Faux leather has a sexy retro disco vibe which perfectly complements our creative design mood. And in a tropical country like ours, maintaining animal-derived leather is a tedious task. On the other hand, faux leather is easy to maintain, it’s vegan and I think it’s much cooler. They are available in various textures and colours and are versatile and unique as a fabric,” expresses fashion designer Aniket Satam of Pink Porcupines.
Fashion stylists including Shaleena Nathani, Sukriti Grover, Ami Patel, Lakshmi Lehr, and Maneka Harisinghani have styled their respective stars in faux leather attires from international clothing brands such River Island, Doll House Fashion, House of CB, Halpern, Undress and Tiger Mist. There are also many online retail platforms such as Shop Clues, Nykaa Fashion and Myntra among others that cater to stylish outfits made from faux leather.
Vegan leather alternatives are changing the future of sustainable fashion. From once being season specific, faux leather has become a year-round staple. Celebrity Stylist Sukriti Grover lists what’s hot in faux leather this season:
From iconic leather pieces such as pants, jackets, and trench coats to modern must-haves, including dresses, shorts, and two-piece sets, we’re now entering into a leather-centric season, which means it’s a good time to invest in it.
Here’s a lowdown on what you can invest in if you want to own a faux leather outfit.
- Blazer: The leather blazer is one of the season’s most versatile pieces from classically tailored to exaggerated silhouettes with modern details.
- Biker Jacket: When it comes to leather, there’s no piece as iconic as the biker jacket.
- Trench Coat: The trench coat will forever be iconic, but leather instantly ups the ante for a more contemporary look. A statement leather coat is one of the simplest items to style. All you need is your favourite denim and tee combination to allow a faux snakeskin leather print to truly pop.
- Top: A leather top is a perfect piece to enhance your look with a subtle note of luxury.
- Day Dress: One of the most striking yet effortless-looking leather outfits to emerge from designer runways for fall/winter 2020 was undoubtedly the leather dress.
- Evening Dress: From above the knee cuts to full length gowns, black leather dresses add an extra edge to an evening attire.
- Contrast with Knitwear: A casual fall cardigan outfit gets a major upgrade with luxe-looking faux leather trousers. The result is a beautiful contrast of textures that stays laid-back with minimal accessories and the addition of a comfy pair of sneakers.
