Leather Trousers and Skirts in Winter: The Yves Salomon Way

Leather trousers for women work in winter when the leather is fine and the cut has room. Yves Salomon makes its leather trousers and skirts in lambskin, from tailored straight legs at $2,470 to pleated midi skirts at $4,630, with wide, balloon, cargo and culotte shapes in between. Wear them with a chunky knit, opaque tights and flat boots, and finish with a shearling coat.

Key facts

• Material: every Yves Salomon leather trouser and skirt in the new Coveti delivery is lambskin, the finest and lightest everyday leather.
• Trouser shapes: tailored, straight, wide pleated, wide jogger, balloon, cargo and culottes.
• Skirt shapes: pleated midi, pleated patent maxi, flared midi, long A-line, fringe wrap and a double-sided velour wrap.
• Prices at Coveti: leather trousers $2,470 to $3,260; leather skirts $1,990 to $4,630.
• Linings: skirts are fully lined; most trousers have a short lining.
• Care: the labels say do not wash, do not iron and do not dry clean; leather goes to a specialist.
• The house: a Paris fur family since 1920; the house dates Maison Yves Salomon to 1980.

Which leather trousers should you buy?

Start with how you dress on a normal weekday. Leather trousers sit in the same place in a wardrobe as good wool trousers, so pick the shape you would wear in wool.

For a first pair, choose tailored. The leather tailored trousers in black have a front seam that lengthens the leg and Italian pockets that lie flat, so they look like wool trousers that happen to be leather. They come in grey and green too, and a shorter brown cut sits just above the ankle.

If comfort comes first, go wide. The loose lambskin trousers take the jogger, with its elasticated waist, and cut it in fine lambskin. The wide lambskin trousers with front pleats are the dressier wide option. For something newer, the balloon trousers in dark green gather at the ankle and look best with a short jacket, and the lambskin cargo trousers in carbon bring leather to weekend dressing.

Which leather skirt suits you?

Leather skirts are where the house has the most range. The shape changes how formal the skirt looks far more than the colour does.

• Pleated midi. The pleated lambskin skirt is fine, fully lined and swings as you walk. It goes from desk to dinner and is the most polished skirt here.
• Pleated patent maxi. The pleated patent lambskin skirt is varnished, so the pleats catch the light. An evening skirt with flat boots in the day.
• Flared midi. The flared lambskin skirt has an asymmetric waist and lots of movement. The easiest skirt to wear with a chunky knit.
• Long A-line. The long lambskin skirt in brown falls to maxi length and moves freely over tights.
• Fringe wrap. The leather fringe wrap skirt adds long tone-on-tone fringe at the side.
• Velour wrap. The double-sided velour lambskin skirt has a soft suede-like surface and hand-dyed edges.

How do you wear leather trousers in winter?

Leather blocks wind well, which makes it a good winter trouser. The trick is to keep the rest of the outfit warm and soft, so the leather does not look hard.

Layer underneath when it is properly cold. Fine thermal leggings fit under the wide and jogger styles without changing the line. Tailored styles fit closer, so size with that in mind.

Choose the knit with care. Texture against leather is what makes the outfit. A cashmere funnel neck sweater with tailored trousers is clean and grown-up. A oversized cashmere wool jumper with wide trousers is relaxed. Tuck the front in for shape.

Mind the shoes. Balloon and culotte shapes need ankle boots with some weight. Wide trousers sit well over a heeled boot. The house makes suede and Merinillo ankle boots with ridged soles for grip.

Balance the coat. Wide trousers want a shorter jacket: a cropped shearling, a short mink jacket, a lambskin bomber with a removable mink collar. Slim tailored trousers can take a long coat.

How do you wear a leather skirt in winter?

Opaque tights are the base. Black tights under a black leather skirt make one long line; brown tights under a brown skirt do the same. Add knee boots for a midi skirt and ankle boots for a maxi. On top, a knit that ends at the waist keeps the proportion right, which is why the short oversized sweater works with the pleated midi. A long coat over a long skirt looks deliberate; a short shearling jacket over a midi looks easy. See our shearling coat guide for coats to pair.

Black, brown and green: which colour leather?

Black is the safe first buy and the most formal. It goes with every coat you own and looks sharpest with tailoring. Brown is the house colour this season: almost every Yves Salomon trouser and skirt shape comes in a warm brown, and it sits beautifully next to camel shearling and beige knits. It also looks softer in daylight than black. Dark green and grey are the quieter third option. The tailored trousers come in green and grey, and the balloon trousers in dark green, which pairs well with cream, camel and navy. If you already own black leather, buy brown next.

Lambskin also softens with wear. A new pair can feel crisp at the knee, and within a few weeks it moulds to you. That is part of why a fine leather trouser looks better in its second winter than its first.

Fold in the knitwear

Yves Salomon is a knit house as much as a leather house, and the knits are cut to sit with leather. Superfine merino polos and jumpers start at $770 and resist creasing. Wool and cashmere sweaters in the short oversized cut start at $890. Pure cashmere crew necks and funnel necks cost $2,300. For a softer bottom half, merino knit wide leg trousers cost $880 and wear like a leather jogger’s quieter cousin. Browse knitwear and wide leg trousers.

The Yves Salomon leather trousers and skirts to buy now

1. Leather Tailored Trousers in Black

The first pair to buy: straight leg, front seam, hook and zip fly. From $2,470.

2. Tailored Lambskin Leather Trousers in Brown

A shorter tailored cut that skims the ankle, good with loafers. From $2,470.

3. Wide Lambskin Leather Trousers in Brown

Front pleats and a fluid line, dressy enough for evening. From $2,880.

4. Wide-Leg Trousers in Thin Lambskin Leather in Brown

Jogger comfort with a leather drawstring at the waist. From $2,790.

5. Lambskin Leather Balloon Trousers in Brown

Full through the leg and gathered at the ankle. From $2,790.

6. Lambskin Leather Culottes in Brown

Cropped and wide with a drawstring waist. Wear them with knee boots. From $2,950.

7. Lambskin Leather Pleated Skirt in Brown

A fully lined pleated midi with an impeccable drape. From $4,630.

8. Flared Lambskin Leather Skirt in Brown

Panelled, flared and asymmetric at the waist. From $1,990.

9. Pleated Patent Lambskin Leather Skirt in Grey

Varnished pleats at maxi length for evening. From $2,770.

10. Cashmere Knit Crew Neck Sweater in Grey

Pure cashmere, the knit to wear with every piece above. From $2,300.

See every style in trousers and leather skirts.

Frequently asked questions

What leather does Yves Salomon use for trousers?

Yves Salomon cuts its leather trousers in lambskin, which is finer, softer and lighter than cowhide. The product pages describe it as supple and glossy. Most trousers have a short lining, and the culottes and jogger styles have drawstring waists.

How much are Yves Salomon leather trousers?

At Coveti, Yves Salomon leather trousers cost from $2,470 for the tailored styles to $3,260 for the loose jogger and the cargo trousers. Wide pleated trousers cost $2,880 and the culottes $2,950.

Are Yves Salomon leather skirts lined?

Yes. The pleated, flared and long Yves Salomon leather skirts are fully lined, which helps the leather drape and move freely over tights. Prices at Coveti run from $1,990 for the flared midi to $4,630 for the pleated midi.

How do I wear Yves Salomon leather trousers in winter?

Pair Yves Salomon leather trousers with a cashmere knit, ankle boots and a short coat, such as a shearling jacket. Fine thermal leggings fit under the wide styles. Tuck the front of the knit in to keep the waist visible.

Can I wash Yves Salomon leather trousers?

No. The Yves Salomon care labels say do not wash, do not iron and do not dry clean. Hang the trousers by the waistband, let creases drop out overnight, and take marks to a specialist leather cleaner. Our care guide has more.

Shop the full Yves Salomon edit at Coveti, then read how to style Yves Salomon and is Yves Salomon worth it? Coveti ships worldwide by DHL Express and FedEx International Priority.