Like so many great enduring fashion items, the bomber jacket has its roots in utility—namely, keeping WWI pilots warm in the cockpit. An unforeseen side effect of these leather jackets was, of course, extreme swag factor. Staples like the bomber cycle in and out of the mainstream fashion conversation, but all signs point to a reemergence of the style—and its enduring swag.
MEGA//Getty ImagesHailey Bieber in a bomber jacket and loafers.
Even for civilians like international model and budding beauty brand impresario Haylie Bieber, the leather bomber jacket puts out a definite vibe. It's not all edges and anti-establishment like the moto. It's not quite as polished as the leather trench. It's somewhere between normcore dad and cool-girl late-'90s actress who still does her own hair and makeup for the red carpet. And let's face it, it's also giving Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis in Top Gun.
Edward Berthelot//Getty ImagesA street style look featuring a leather bomber jacket.
That vintage appeal exists, even for new styles, Libby Page, senior market editor at Net-a-Porter, tells BAZAAR. "While leather is nothing new, this fabrication in a bomber jacket emulates the vintage look our customers (and specifically Gen Z) are seeking right now. … In terms of styles, oversized iterations feel relevant and align with the relaxed attitude we are seeing across the market currently."
Celebrity stylist Maeve Reilly, who works with Bieber often, is on board with the bomber for its inherent practicality, but sees beyond the obvious black and brown options. "Bomber jackets are not only practical when it comes to cold weather, but they give off an effortlessly cool vibe," she explains. "I'm really into the colorful leather Prada bombers right now. I can pair them with my favorite jeans and just change up the sneakers depending on my mood for the day."
GothamKendall Jenner sporting the look in 2019.
A formula of bomber jacket plus jeans plus tee is certainly foolproof. Kendall Jenner was spotted in the style as early as 2019, and the look has been photographed on the streets outside of shows everywhere from Paris to Copenhagen recently. But the mark of endurance for a trend is when it is both in the ethos and on the runway, where new iterations of the vintage classic are being ushered in.
CourtesyBombers at Khaite pre-fall 2022 and The Row fall 2022.
We can't think of two more relevant brands to have embraced the bomber than The Row—which featured a style in its new fall 2022 look book, breaking protocol with tried-and-true denim and kicks by pairing theirs with a maxi pencil skirt and pumps—and perennially buzzy label Khaite. Creative director Catherine Holstein showed a leather bomber in her pre-fall 2022 collection in brown with a shearling collar, worn with skinny black trousers and sleek boots, proving the bomber can also claim versatility. What led Holstein to the bomber now? "Was obvious—everyone needs a leather bomber. … Multiples at that!" Stock up below.
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Kerry Pieri is Harper's Bazaar's Digital Fashion/Features Director. Kerry oversees the fashion vertical for BAZAAR.com, including launching digital covers, styling celebrity features, and managing recurring features including Brand Watch and My Life in Three Looks. In addition, Kerry edits the “best of” each season, from shoes to bags, denim and coats, and is consistently looking for shifts in the fashion realm to lend a voice. Kerry formerly served as the Editorial Director of StyleCaster.com and as a producer at Full Frontal Fashion. She lives in New York with her husband Steve, and baby girl Lila Sky.
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