THE JOURNAL

It’s coat season. Whether you greet that news with joy or disappointment depends largely on how you feel about two things: one, the onset of dark nights and cold weather, and two, the sartorial opportunities those conditions bring. If there’s one thing that’s sure to soften the blow of saying goodbye to summer, it’s the clothes. Specifically, the coats.
Now, don’t get us wrong. Summer offers plenty in the style department, too, and it’s with a heavy heart that we bid farewell to our camp-collar shirts, shorts and sandals for another six months. But there’s something about autumn, and its requirement to layer up, that brings out the best in fashion designers.
That’s more true this year than ever, with a dizzying array of overcoats, parkas, shearling jackets, fleeces and much more now available on MR PORTER. It’s far too much to choose from, frankly, which is why we’ve picked out just a few highlights – 10, to be exact – for your delectation. Read on for a little autumnal inspiration.
01.
The shearling jacket

Vetements’ shearling and leather jacket takes its design cues from the Type B-3, a classic American-issue aviator jacket from the WWII era. Don’t expect a straightforward homage, though. The subversive Swiss design collective is known for its experimental approach to garment design, which it puts to use here with extra-long sleeves and a fully reversible construction. This picture shows the jacket being worn inside-out (or the right way round, depending on your perspective) over a Maison Margiela sweater vest and a pair of corduroy trousers from LOEWE.
02.
The printed denim jacket

Denim jackets are made to be meddled with, embellished and treated as our personal canvases. In an ideal world, we’d stitch the patches on ourselves, but who’s got time for that? Northern Irish designer JW Anderson has done the hard work for us this season with this botanically themed denim jacket, which is decorated with a cornucopia of peaches, radishes and even a couple of butternut squashes. Feeling bold? Wear it with the brand’s matching jeans for an OTT take on double denim.
03.
The shell bomber

Following swiftly on from Vetements’ take on the Type B-3 comes this uniquely crinkled version of another 20th-century flight jacket, the legendary Type MA-1. It’s made by Dries Van Noten, from a bonded nylon fabric that gives a distinctive finish, and it comes in a versatile shade of army green. Those missing the bright colours and vivid prints that are Dries Van Noten’s signature may wish to follow our lead and wear the bomber jacket over a floral-print shirt, such as this cerulean-blue one from Acne Studios. Alternatively, wear it however you wish.
04.
The belted overcoat

The Row, Mses Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s super-luxe clothing label, continues to impress with its refined, sartorial perspective on men’s style. This knee-length belted coat is a case in point, combining the comfort and wearability of a dressing gown with the elegance of a tailored topcoat. Cut from unlined wool felt for a roomy fit, it’s a drapey piece that you could easily wear over a suit. We’ve styled it here as part of a more casual outfit with a rollneck sweater, shirt, white jeans and Chelsea boots.
05.
The cashmere varsity jacket

Uncompromising to a fault (this is the brand that once put cashmere laces into its sneakers), Brunello Cucinelli never disappoints during coat season. Our pick of the bunch this year? This reversible varsity-style jacket, which is constructed from – what else? – 100 per cent cashmere. We prefer it in its reversed form, as shown here, where the cream-coloured cashmere of the inside contrasts nicely against the grey of the ribbed cuffs and collar. Stick with a monochrome theme and throw it over a grey sweater and some black trousers.
06.
The quilted down jacket

Best known for that instantly recognisable compass logo patch on the upper arm, Stone Island has become a staple of streetwear fanatics around the world. Its reputation is not built on hype, but on the quality of its meticulously researched textiles. Its autumn outerwear offering includes this standout quilted jacket made from a proprietary fabric known as nylon metal, which undergoes a two-stage dyeing process to give it its characteristic metallic sheen.
07.
The nylon trench

Windbreaker? Poncho? Whatever you want to call it, Acne Studios’ tie-dyed nylon jacket is one to put on your Wish List this autumn. Cut for a full-length profile and in a heavily saturated pink tie-dye that’s giving us shades of the album artwork from Loveless by My Bloody Valentine, it’s a bold choice that’s sure to turn heads, especially when worn over this equally colourful intarsia-knit sweater from Dries Van Noten.
08.
The floral fleece

Autumn outerwear doesn’t get more joyful than this fleece from LOEWE, which bears a reproduction of a pansy-print collage created in the 1960s by New York artist and poet (and contemporary of Mr Andy Warhol) Mr Joe Brainard. This is classic LOEWE under the creative tenure of Mr Jonathan Anderson. It’s full of vintage-shop charm, but finished with the quality craftsmanship you’d expect from one of the world’s finest luxury brands.
09.
The gabardine parka

Lest we forget the functional element of our autumn coats – they are designed, after all, to shield us from whatever the season can throw at us – we have this fine example of a hooded parka from A.P.C.. Tailored from an olive-green gabardine material, a type of high-twist cotton renowned for its water-repellent qualities and used in Burberry’s classic trench coats, it’s as smart as it is functional. A great all-rounder for blustery weekend walks or chilly commutes.
10.
The classic overcoat

No matter the season, or whatever else is happening on planet fashion, there’s always room in our wardrobes for a classic, two-button overcoat. This one, from Mr P., follows the standard blueprint to a tee. With a notch lapel, single vent and a cut that finishes mid-thigh, it’s very much the platonic ideal of what we understand as a coat. How it differentiates itself is with the fabric: a virgin wool blend in a grey-on-grey check, a stylish but versatile pattern that will look just as good in five years as it does right now.