Not Leather, Not Suede—The Transitional Jacket That Fashion Editors Swear By All Year Round
Come rain or shine, there's one jacket style I have noticed the fashion set adopting to keep the elements at bay. It's not leather or suede, nor nylon. The humble canvas jacket is the wardrobe hero in question. Coming in many silhouettes and hues, the canvas jacket has, in recent memory, experienced a real rise in popularity, most notably since Miuccia sent a selection of them down the Prada spring/summer 2024 runway at Milan fashion week. One year on, and it is still very much the jacket du jour, and can be seen everywhere from the city to the coast, to the countryside and back again.
Style Notes: A model wears a cotton canvas jacket in the Prada SS24 runway show.
Rooted in history, uses and trades, the canvas jacket has, like many things in fashion, gone through many eras, trends and aesthetic movements. Not only does it venture into workwear territory, but it also evokes the idea of countryside pursuits, and receives the royal seal of approval in its waxed iteration. Shape-wise, you may have already seen many a cotton canvas jacket in chore, bomber or blouson silhouettes, but the barn jacket is seemingly the top choice for those in the know today. Right now, and when worn well, a cotton canvas jacket possesses wealth-whispering appeal, whilst combining a sense of utility and luxury. And what is more luxurious than a jacket that goes the extra mile?
What is key about a canvas jacket is its sheer versatility in styling. Whether you're spending your weekend hitting the streets of Hackney, rambling around Hay-on-Wye, or skipping stones on Hastings seafront, a canvas jacket will doubtlessly be your wardrobe hero, and can be thrown over any and every look in a laissez-faire fashion. Possessing one myself, I can also attest to the fact that it is also a great jacket for travelling, whether that's via plane, train or automobile, due to its softness yet high durability. Canvas jackets hold their shape well, and you don't need to worry too much about creasing—they are built to withstand the outside world, and being well-loved and used.
Style Notes: Sophie Robyn Watson wears a cotton canvas jacket with a white t-shirt and blue jeans for a trip to the florist.
Who What Wears's favourite brands have cottoned onto (yes, pun fully intended) the trend pretty swiftly. For pretty, coastal California vibes, look to DÔEN, or to the chic, minimalist luxuries of Swedish-born TOTEME, and lastly, not forgetting, the high street staples of Uniqlo and ARKET.
If you're looking to add a rustic touch and an effortlessly undone appeal to your look, consider investing in a canvas jacket for the upcoming autumn season. I just know you will reach for it time and time again when we start to see the temperature drop, and again in the spring of next year.
