THE VOOLUP JOURNAL

Beyond Black and Brown:
The Complete Guide to Coloured Leather

Seven shades. Seven styling guides. From maroon suede to forest green, the case for choosing colour in leather.

Black leather is not going anywhere. Brown is its constant companion. Between the two of them, they have built most of what people picture when they picture leather outerwear. But limiting yourself to two colours is not a limitation of the material. It is a limitation of habit.

The VOOLUP collection includes leather jackets and vests in maroon, tan, bronze, navy blue, forest green, grey and bordeaux. Each colour was chosen because it works. Each pairs with the same premium leathers and precision construction as the classics. And each offers something neither black nor brown can deliver on its own.

This is the complete guide. Seven colours, what makes each one distinct, and how to wear it well.

Maroon occupies a specific position on the colour wheel: deep enough to command attention, warm enough to coordinate with most existing wardrobes. In suede, the effect is more nuanced. The texture diffuses the colour, softening the impact without diluting the statement.

For men, the Marshal is a suede leather jacket with a clean zip-front silhouette. It pairs naturally with dark denim, charcoal separates and worn black jeans. Against pale neutrals like cream or white, the maroon reads with a directness that brown leather cannot replicate.

For women, the Luxe Sienna brings the same colour in a cropped bomber silhouette. It works over a fitted black turtleneck, tailored trousers and midi skirts with equal ease. Maroon is one of the few bold tones that reads elegant before it reads assertive.

Suede care note: suede demands a dedicated maintenance routine. See our complete suede care and protection guide before the first wear.

Tan sits in a space that brown cannot occupy. Where brown runs warm and rustic, tan reads lighter and airier. It carries the feeling of something softened by sun and time, but it wears like a considered choice rather than an accident.

The Hazel is a women's tan leather jacket that coordinates with denim in every shade, cream knitwear and earth-toned separates. In spring, layer it over linen or light cotton. In autumn, let it anchor heavier textures underneath.

Tan genuine leather ages with particular character. Over seasons of wear, the surface deepens and develops a patina that enriches the original tone without losing the lightness that defines it. Our guide to leather patina and ageing explains what to expect and how to encourage it.

“The classics hold the market. The colour holds the memory. Choose what you want people to remember.”

Bronze in suede is a combination that should not work as well as it does. The warmth of the finish, filtered through genuine suede texture, produces a colour that changes with the light. In sun it reads golden and immediate. Indoors it pulls back into something earthy and considered.

The Rory in Bronze is a men's quilted suede vest. It layers cleanly over a plain white or cream shirt and sits naturally beneath a dark overcoat. The bronze functions as a sophisticated neutral: distinct enough to register, understated enough to work across settings without requiring adjustment.

Quilted vests occupy a specific role in the wardrobe. They deliver warmth and visual texture without the structure or weight of a full jacket. In bronze, the Rory works best in the transitional months, layered over a lightweight base or beneath a heavier coat when the temperature drops properly.

Blue leather belongs in a category of its own. It is not a dark neutral in the way black functions. It is not warm in the way brown works. It is directional and specific, which makes it both easier and harder to wear well. Easier because blue coordinates with a wide range of tones. Harder because it asks for a considered hand.

The Bennett in Navy Blue is a structured biker vest in smooth genuine leather. Navy leather over a white or light grey shirt creates an immediate, clean contrast. With black denim, it reads modern and purposeful. With a heavy grey knit underneath, it shifts into something more rugged and autumn-ready.

The Rory in Blue carries the same direction in quilted suede. The texture absorbs light rather than reflecting it, making the blue feel considered and settled rather than loud. Layer it over long-sleeve earth tones or use it as the lightest piece in a multi-layer autumn outfit.

One principle applies to both: keep the supporting palette simple. White, grey, black, cream and bone all work cleanly alongside blue leather. Competing colours are possible but ask for a clear intention.

Forest green in genuine leather bridges the outdoors and the city without fully committing to either. It is refined enough to wear in a smart casual setting and grounded enough to feel natural in colder, more textured environments.

The Everett in Forest Green is a puffer vest with a genuine leather outer shell and an insulated interior. The puffer silhouette is inherently more relaxed than a biker or moto vest, and the forest green deepens that quality. Wear it over a heavy flannel shirt, a dark roll-neck or a slim black crewneck.

Forest green sits within the same family as olive but runs deeper and richer. Where olive reads worn and utility-adjacent, forest green reads deliberate and premium. The distinction matters when building an outfit: forest green elevates rather than anchors.

Grey is the least obvious choice on this list. In waxed leather, it carries a textural depth that smooth leather in the same shade cannot produce. The wax finish adds a controlled sheen and a quiet ruggedness at once, producing a colour that reads as sophisticated without announcing itself.

The Nash in Grey is a men's waxed leather vest that resists simple categorisation. It is not casual, not formal, and entirely its own thing. Pair it with black jeans and a white shirt for something clean and considered. Layer it over a grey knitwear base for a tonal, editorial approach. Wear it beneath a dark overcoat for a winter outfit with genuine depth.

Waxed leather develops character differently from smooth leather. The surface shows the marks of wear more openly, but those marks become part of the piece rather than evidence against it. Read our guide to distressed leather and our leather patina guide for more on how waxed leather evolves over time.

Bordeaux sits deeper than maroon and darker than burgundy. It is a colour that arrives with a particular weight: wine cellars, winter evenings, old books and sharp tailoring. In leather, it carries that gravity without becoming self-serious.

The Bordeaux is a women's leather buckle biker vest in a deep bordeaux with structured hardware detailing. Over black separates, it reads immediately and with precision. Over cream or ivory, the contrast is refined and striking. Over deep navy, it works in a way that surprises.

Bordeaux rewards commitment. The more confidently you wear it, the better it performs. It is a colour that is easily underdone and difficult to overdo.

If your wardrobe runs predominantly dark, a coloured leather piece will function as a focal point without requiring significant changes to how you already dress. Maroon, bordeaux and navy all layer naturally over black and charcoal bases.

If your wardrobe leans towards neutrals and lighter tones, tan and bronze are the most versatile starting points. Both read as warm naturals rather than bold statements. The step from black or brown leather to tan or bronze feels gradual and comfortable rather than sharp.

If you want something that announces itself on its own terms, forest green and grey are the most unexpected choices on this list. Neither is common in leather outerwear. Both communicate a specific confidence in how you dress. That is what makes them the most rewarding long-term choices.

Browse the full selection across our men's leather jackets, women's leather jackets, men's leather vests and women's leather vests to see each colour in full context. Our leather jacket buying guide and leather vest buying guide cover the full selection process if you want a structured starting point. For those new to suede and waxed leathers, the complete leather types guide explains what distinguishes each material from the next.

Find Your Colour

Every shade in this guide is available now. Browse the collection and find the one that fits how you dress.