Winter appears to finally be here, and suede or leather coats are great for cold dry weather. These coats are the kind of wardrobe staple that’s worth repairing instead of replacing. Tears, missing buttons blown out zippers, worn out linings, and size alterations are all possible. William, our tailor at Hampden and Monaco, is able to restyle outdated garments – i.e. reducing shoulder pads. A well cared for leather garment can last decades, but the key is in the care and the quality. Keep in mind leather cleaning doesn’t come cheap and isn’t for garments that don’t represent an investment. But for the ones in excess of $500, cleaning is better than replacing.
A few tips to keep your leathers soft & supple:
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- Don’t store your jacket on a wire hanger. You’re asking for “weird bumps” in the shoulders. Use a padded hanger and a cloth garment bag so it can breathe, just like our skin.
- After hanging it up, don’t crush it among dozens of other coats. Give it some space.
- Don’t hit it with heat. Never iron or steam it. Send it to the pros.
- When it comes to cleaning use a full service cleaners like Dependable or someone who specializes in leather care.
- Stay anonymous. Don’t put a sticky name tag on suede or leather. When you peel it off, chances are you’ll take some fabric with it or worse, leave an adhesive trail.
You can’t let leather out. If it’s too small, give it to Coats for Colorado, and invest in a new one.
