Black Leather Skirt: A Quiet History in Designer Archives

FIT's Fashion History Timeline says Bill Gibb's 1972 debut at London's Oriental Club included printed leather skirts and colorful knits. British Vogue records the French model Nicole de Lamargé in a Yves Saint Laurent black leather couture miniskirt suit with Roger Vivier knee-high boots, and notes that Saint Laurent founded his house with Pierre Bergé in 1961. The V&A catalogs a Gianni Versace skirt suit from winter 1983 and 1984 with a black leather skirt and a tweed-wool and leather jacket. The black leather skirt has been a designer's favorite for fifty years.

A real leather skirt softens and molds to you over time. A faux leather one is lighter and easier to care for. A good faux skirt has a matte finish and a soft hand. Look at the lining, the zip and the hem. Even simple details like a hidden zip and a clean stitched hem make a skirt look better than it is.

A mini is bold and a midi is dramatic. A pencil cut looks smart, and an A-line moves better. In our fashion dreams she wears a black leather midi with a cream knit and ankle boots, sipping coffee on a gray morning. A wrap or a button front adds character. Choose a waistband that sits flat under a tucked-in top.

Balance leather with soft textures. Cashmere, cotton poplin and silk all look good against it. White shirts and loose sweaters take the edge off. Tights in black or sheer brown extend the line. Add a metal belt for punctuation.

I would skip skirts with shiny, plastic-looking surfaces and those with seams that pucker at the hip. A black leather skirt should look sleek, and it should let you walk.