You’ve probably seen the label while digging through a circular rack at a Goodwill or scrolling through a filtered Depop feed. John Paul Richard. It sounds like a high-end European designer from the eighties, right? Honestly, it’s not. But that hasn't stopped the John Paul Richard leather jacket from becoming a weirdly persistent staple in the world of affordable vintage fashion.
It’s ubiquitous.
If you grew up in the late 90s or early 2000s, there’s a massive chance your mom had one of these hanging in the hall closet next to the vacuum cleaner. Maybe it was a buttery blazer style. Maybe it was a cropped biker version. Whatever the silhouette, these jackets represent a specific era of department store accessible luxury that just doesn't exist anymore in the age of Shein and ultra-fast fashion.
What is a John Paul Richard leather jacket anyway?
Let’s get the "brand" part out of the way first. John Paul Richard wasn't a single person sketching designs in a Parisian atelier. It was a private label brand primarily sold through major American department stores like Macy’s, JCPenney, and the now-defunct Mervyn’s. It was the "nice" leather option for the middle class.
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The quality is actually surprising.
Most modern mall brands use "genuine leather," which is basically the plywood of the leather world—scraps glued together and painted to look real. But a vintage John Paul Richard leather jacket? Those things were usually made from 100% lambskin or pigskin. It’s why they feel so heavy. It’s why, twenty-five years later, you can still find them in thrift stores without the finish peeling off like a bad sunburn.
The brand specialized in what we now call "office-core" or "matrix-core." Think long, sweeping car coats, structured blazers with shoulder pads that mean business, and those slightly oversized leather shirts that everyone is trying to replicate right now.
Why Gen Z is obsessed with these 20-year-old coats
Go on TikTok and search for "vintage leather haul." You’ll see it. The John Paul Richard leather jacket has become a gold mine for resellers because it hits the perfect trifecta: it’s real leather, it has a boxy "dad" fit, and it’s cheap.
The fit is the key.
Current leather jackets from Zara or H&M are often cut very slim or follow very specific, fleeting trends. A John Paul Richard jacket from 2002 usually has dropped shoulders and a wider sleeve. This is exactly what the "oversized" aesthetic demands. When you wear one of these, you don't look like you’re trying too hard. You look like you found something cool in your uncle’s garage. It’s effortless.
Also, the colors. They didn't just stick to black. You'll find these in deep burgundies, burnt oranges, and a specific shade of "espresso" brown that looks incredibly expensive under streetlights.
How to tell if you found a "good" one
Not every John Paul Richard leather jacket is a masterpiece. Since they were mass-produced for department stores, there were different tiers of quality. You have to be a bit of a detective.
First, check the tag. If it says "John Paul Richard Petites," the proportions are going to be shorter in the torso and arms. That might be exactly what you want if you’re looking for a cropped look, but it’ll feel suffocating if you’re over 5'6".
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Next, feel the leather.
- Lambskin: Feels like butter. It's soft, thin, and drapes well. This is the holy grail.
- Pigskin: A bit tougher. It has a visible "pore" pattern (three little dots in a triangle). It’s durable as nails but takes longer to break in.
- Suede: They made a ton of suede jackets too. These are harder to maintain because twenty years of attic dust is hard to get out of a nap.
Check the lining. A common issue with these older jackets is that the acetate lining starts to shred at the armpits. If the leather is great but the lining is trashed, it’s a relatively easy fix for a tailor, but you should use that to negotiate the price down. Honestly, if you're paying more than $60 for one of these in a thrift shop, you're probably overpaying. On Depop? They go for $80 to $150 depending on how well the seller photographed it.
The "Mall Brand" stigma versus reality
There is this weird elitism in fashion where people turn their noses up at labels that used to be sold at Sears or Macy's. But here’s the reality: the manufacturing standards for a mid-tier department store jacket in 1998 were significantly higher than "luxury" fast fashion today.
A John Paul Richard leather jacket was built to be a "five-year garment." It was meant to be worn to work every day, tossed in the back of a car, and dragged through a commute.
The stitching is usually reinforced. The zippers are almost always heavy-duty YKK metal, not the flimsy plastic ones that catch on everything. When you buy one of these today, you’re basically buying a tank. It’s a sustainable choice, not just because it’s second-hand, but because it’s actually going to last another decade if you treat it right.
Caring for vintage leather
If you just bought a John Paul Richard leather jacket, don't just throw it on and go. It’s likely been sitting in a bin for a long time. It’s thirsty. Leather is skin; it needs moisture.
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- Clean it: Use a damp (not wet) microfiber cloth to wipe off the surface grime.
- Condition it: Get a bottle of Lexol or Bick 4. Rub it in. The leather will probably "drink" the conditioner immediately. You’ll see the color deepen and the stiffness disappear.
- The Smell: If it smells like a "grandma’s basement," don't dry clean it immediately (that can be expensive and harsh). Try the vodka trick. Mist the lining (not the leather) with a mix of cheap vodka and water. The alcohol kills the bacteria causing the smell and evaporates without leaving a scent.
The weird history of the brand name
There isn't a "John" or a "Paul" or a "Richard" at the helm. Like many brands of that era—think Jones New York or Liz Claiborne—the name was designed to sound established and masculine. It gave the consumer a sense of heritage.
By the mid-2000s, the brand started pivoting more toward blouses and knitwear, moving away from the heavy leathers that made them a household name. This is why the leather pieces are so sought after now; they represent a specific peak in the brand's production value. They aren't making these anymore. The John Paul Richard items you see in stores now are usually lightweight polyester tops. The "Leather Era" is a closed chapter.
Styling your John Paul Richard leather jacket
How do you wear this without looking like you’re headed to a 1996 business meeting? It’s all about contrast.
If you have a long John Paul Richard leather trench, don't wear it with slacks. Wear it with a hoodie and baggy light-wash jeans. The "high-low" mix makes the leather look intentional rather than dated.
For the leather blazers, try them over a plain white ribbed tank top. The structure of the blazer balances out the casualness of the tank. It’s that "off-duty model" look that everyone is chasing. It works because the jacket has enough weight to hold its shape, unlike the flimsy "vegan leather" (aka plastic) alternatives you find at the mall today.
Common Misconceptions
- "It’s a designer brand." No, it's a legacy department store brand.
- "It's worth hundreds." Only to the right buyer. It’s a workhorse, not a collector’s item like a vintage Schott or Lewis Leathers.
- "All vintage leather is heavy." John Paul Richard actually made some very lightweight "nappa" styles that are great for spring.
The Actionable Bottom Line
If you are looking for a leather jacket that won't fall apart after three wears, stop looking at the new arrivals section. Go to eBay, Etsy, or your local thrift store and type in "John Paul Richard."
Look for the black or dark chocolate brown blazers. Verify the material is 100% leather in the photos of the care tag. If you find one for under $50, buy it immediately. You are getting a piece of garment history that is arguably better constructed than 90% of what's on the racks in 2026.
Check the hardware. Make sure the buttons are secure. If it's a zip-up, pull the zipper up and down five times. If it glides, you've found a winner. Once you get it home, condition it, hang it on a wide wooden hanger (never wire!), and you’ve got a staple piece that will likely outlive your current wardrobe. This isn't just about fashion; it's about smart buying.
Stay away from the cracked or peeling "synthetic" versions some resellers try to pass off. Stick to the real hide. Your wallet and your style will thank you. Now, go hit the racks and see what you can find. The best ones are usually hiding in the back.
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