It’s suede season. May we persuade you?
It’s fall, and we’re falling for new things, particularly in suede. Rich, supple, and oh-so-soft, suede brings a tactile edge to every look. It’s the haute texture for cooler weather, so much so that searches for suede are up 75% year over year at FASHIONPHILE. Here are three labels defining the moment.
Gucci Suede
Gucci has been working with suede since the mid-20th century, often pairing the material with archival house codes. The Ophidia line, first introduced in 2018, revived 1970s suede and Web-stripe combinations, echoing the brand’s equestrian heritage. Suede appears on shoulder bags and structured top handles, usually accented with the gold horsebit or GG hardware that dates back to 1955.
Haute Tip: Curious about the different types of suede? Discover them all in Luxury Materials 101: A Guide to Suede.
Saint Laurent Suede
Saint Laurent uses suede to bring structure and weight to minimalist silhouettes. In the Bellechasse line, introduced under Anthony Vaccarello, smooth calfskin suede reinforces the clean, architectural lines of the flap closure. The Toy Loulou features Y quilting on suede, a material choice that subtly mutes the sheen of leather, giving the bag a matte, tactile finish. These design decisions trace back to Yves Saint Laurent’s 1960s collections, where suede trench coats and accessories contrasted sharply with slick patent pieces.
Haute Tip: Learn how to care for your suede bags here.
Chloe Suede
Chloe leans into suede as a core material rather than an accent. From the Faye’s signature ring-chain hardware to the Lexa’s saddle-bag silhouette, the brand has consistently paired soft suede panels with polished calfskin trims since the mid-2010s, creating a bohemian, layered texture that’s emblematic of Chloe under Clare Waight Keller. The use of suede in warm, sun-faded tones reinforces the house’s romantic, 1970s-infused aesthetic.
Persuaded?
Suede has always been a quiet luxury material, favored for its texture and depth rather than gloss. This season, it’s front and center again, spanning Gucci’s archival revivals, Saint Laurent’s structured minimalism, and Chloe’s bohemian classics. Shop the full ultra-luxury suede spectrum at FASHIONPHILE and find the piece that makes fall feel tactile.
