We sell both lambskin and eco-leather, and we do not claim they are the same. Here is what sets them apart, and when each is the right choice.
Lambskin
Supple from day one, unlike cowhide which takes weeks. It molds to the shoulder very quickly and develops a patina—meaning it darkens slightly at the creases and friction points.
This patina is what some look for and others loathe. You need to know which you are before buying, because it is irreversible.
Our short lambskin leather perfecto is the piece in the selection that will last the longest. It is also the most expensive, and that is no coincidence.
The oversized short-sleeve mandarin collar jacket plays a different game: leather in a voluminous shape, worn over a fine long sleeve.
Eco-leather
A textile base coated with polyurethane. It is not leather and will not age like leather: no patina, no softening. What you buy is what you keep.
In exchange, it allows for finishes that leather cannot. The cracked silver metallic, the cracked vinyl, the quilted braided: these finishes do not exist in hide, or are prohibitively expensive.
It is also lighter, it doesn't fear the rain, and it cleans with a damp cloth.
Choosing between the two
Choose leather if it is a piece you plan to wear for ten years and if you like the idea of it changing.
Choose eco-leather if you are looking for a specific finish, if the piece is seasonal, or if you ride a bike in the rain.
The belted midi eco-leather skirt illustrates the latter case well: on a skirt, the suppleness of leather adds nothing, and eco-leather holds its shape better.
What to wear underneath
Leather is a hard material. It requires suppleness underneath, otherwise the silhouette becomes stiff from top to bottom.
A fine knit, a fluid shirt, or a dress. The natural reflex of wearing a blazer under a perfecto is almost always a mistake.
Trousers in drapery fabric or fluid crepe work better than raw denim, which is more rigid than one might think.
Care
Lambskin: never machine wash, never near a radiator. If it gets caught in the rain, let it dry flat away from any heat source. A nourishing lotion once a year, no more.
Eco-leather: damp cloth, nothing else. Solvents and alcohol wipes will strip the coating, and that cannot be fixed.
Both should be kept on a wide hanger. A thin hanger will permanently mark the shoulder on either one.