Item of the week: the patchwork denim jacket

What it is:

In the era of upcycling, brands have taken to adopting the DIY look in designs of their own. One method the aesthetic has been translated into is through patchwork detailing, formed using contrasting materials that are layered or sewn together in an either haphazard or more geometric fashion. On the runway, such a technique had been particularly applied to denim jackets, providing an update to a classic and recognisable design for both men and women.

Why you’ll want it:

DIY and upcycling trends have run rampant throughout design circles in recent years, first arriving as offsets to being stuck indoors during the pandemic and continuing into the present day as modes of creative sustainability. Many brands taking on the patchwork trend in particular have leaned heavily on this sustainability aspect for their own pieces, often creating patchwork garments from scraps of leftover materials to reduce waste. Either way, their iterations of the look allow consumers to get in on the trend in an effortless manner, with garments that are on-trend and have a slight edge on more classic styles.

Where we’ve seen it:

Patchwork denim jackets were a popular outerwear option among the menswear designers specifically for the autumn/winter season. At Botter, for example, the patches came in elongated shapes and jumped between light-wash to darker denim that were placed in a disorderly manner. Other designers took a more methodical approach. Ahluwalia’s denim blazer incorporated wavy shapes as the patches, while Natasha Zinko’s bomber jacket donned various pocket details in different shades of denim. Andersson Bell, on the other hand, layered denim to create an alternative silhouette and superimposed patches on as prints.

How to style it:

Aligning with the styles on the runway, the patchwork denim jacket works very well with, if available, coordinating pants in the same patchwork style. This easily rounds off what would be an eye-catching, effortless look. However, if such an item is not readily available, denim-on-denim is still a good way to go. Select one of the shades from the jacket and match it to a pair of jeans in the same tone to keep the outfit cohesive. Pair the look with chunky black boots or a simple pair of sneakers.

Patchwork denim is an update to what is a classic material, and this only goes further when it comes to applying the technique to the staple denim jacket.