The off-duty update: A new biker jacket

In a fashion editor’s calendar, the beginning of fall is considered the start of leather weather; as the temperature dips, we’re ready to extend the shelf life of our summer looks by layering them up with something indisputably cool. Enter the biker jacket: as one of those rare pieces that unites all sartorial leanings in its ubiquity – fashion designers included – it feels more relevant than ever this season, tapping into the rebellious spirit of both the streets and the FW18 catwalks.

A classic Perfecto style, with its asymmetric, double-breasted zip front, is genderless, timeless and priceless – it just gets better and better with age. Synonymous with insurgence and associated with underground subcultures, it’s almost impossible not to feel like a badass when you slip one on.

Not to do ourselves out of a job, but styling comes easy with the Perfecto, as it goes with pretty much anything. Look to Chloé, Balenciaga and Givenchy for an elevated take, or picture a mid-’90s Kate Moss twinning with then-boyfriend Johnny Depp in battered leather bikers over black skinny jeans. Try it over something diametrically different to offset the jacket’s tomboyish appeal, such as a slip dress or precisely tailored pants and a silk cami.