The letterman jacket made a tenacious comeback to the fashion scene this past Fall/Winter season, with designers from every fashion capital revamping the high school outerwear staple.
Letterman jackets were first seen at the men's shows in Paris where Louis Vuitton, Givenchy Homme and Paul Smith decked their jackets in complete leather and re-introduced a new type of collar.
The comeback continued at Proenza Schouler, where designers Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough added different cuts and textures to the jacket, even adding fur trims around some of the collars.
Letterman Jacket Revivals
High School Athlete Styles Get a Grown-Up Designer Makeover
Trend Themes
1. Letterman Jacket Remakes - Designers are reviving the classic high school outerwear staple with a grown-up twist, introducing leather, new collar styles, different cuts and textures, and even fur trims.
2. Athletic-inspired Fashion - The letterman jacket trend reflects a larger movement of athletic-inspired clothing in the fashion industry, providing an opportunity for innovation in sportswear and street style.
3. Retro Fashion Comebacks - The resurgence of the letterman jacket epitomizes the current trend in fashion of nostalgic and vintage styles making a comeback, presenting opportunities to modernize and innovate classic designs.
Industry Implications
1. Fashion Design - Designers have the chance to update traditional letterman jackets and explore new cuts, materials, and embellishments, potentially leading to new apparel trends.
2. Sportswear Manufacturing - Due to the athletic influences of the letterman jacket trend, sportswear manufacturers have an opportunity to collaborate with fashion designers and create comfortable yet fashion-forward clothing.
3. Streetwear Industry - The trend of athletic-inspired fashion and reviving retro styles creates an opportunity for the streetwear industry to blend functionality with fashion, introducing new and unique styles to the market.