Ralph Lauren Purple Label Leather Biker review: worth it or skip?

What the Ralph Lauren Purple Label Leather Biker does well

The headline: biker jacket. The details: Leather: Calfskin; Lining: Silk; Fit: Regular; Made in: Italy. In our list it is the pick for: American biker. It usually sells for $5,000–$6,500 in the US.

Luxury line.

The trade-offs

Good: quality. Not so good: pricey. Read the skip-if line before you spend: skip it if you want Italian.

What to buy instead

Instead, consider the Saint Laurent L01 Biker Jacket ($5,800–$6,800): slim lambskin biker. Better if you want the definitive slim biker.

Instead, consider the Brunello Cucinelli Suede Bomber ($6,000–$7,500): soft suede bomber. Better if you want refined leather.

Instead, consider the Ralph Lauren Purple Label Shearling ($6,000–$8,000): shearling jacket. Better if you want warm leather.

Before you buy

Leather: calf and horsehide are tough; lambskin is soft and light but scuffs; suede needs a protector spray. Fit: snug in the shoulders and chest; leather relaxes and moulds with wear. Lining: a quilted lining adds warmth; a cotton or silk lining keeps it light.

Buyer tip

Buy a classic black biker or brown suede jacket; they never date, and both look better after years of wear.

Buying in Europe: Italian tailoring uses chest sizes such as IT 48 or 50 (about a US 38 or 40), while knitwear and outerwear use S–XL or IT sizes depending on the house. A European tailor can adjust sleeves and hems on any jacket.

Luxury prices move in a different rhythm from everyday shopping. The great houses (Chanel, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Rolex) raise prices once or twice a year, often in January and in spring, and almost never discount their icons. Seasonal pieces, colors and many shoes, coats and knitwear drop 30–50% in the end-of-season sales in January and from late June. Watches from brands such as Omega, TAG Heuer, Longines and Breitling, and most fragrance, see the best prices around Prime Day and Black Friday. Judge any deal against the usual price we show.

Buy from the fashion house, an authorized retailer or a reseller that authenticates and guarantees every piece, and keep the receipt, the dust bag, the box and any warranty card: they matter for repairs and for resale. Swiss watches carry a 2- to 5-year international warranty when bought from an authorized dealer, and buyers in the EU and UK also have a legal guarantee of at least two years on new goods.