Looking for a bomber jacket?
I checked 50+ styles.

written by Léa Montavon

Ever since I picked a bomber jacket up from a second-hand shop in my hometown of Lausanne last year, it’s become a go-to piece. The jacket isn’t from any recognizable brand and quality is not outstanding. Still, it has been the most comfortable and versatile so far— it’s perfect for everything from going to sports, work and even a night out.

Fall was the perfect season for a bomber. I fully embraced it as a wardrobe essential and now I’m looking to invest in one I’ll cherish and that will elevate my looks even more.

Styling Revelation

When I bought it, I had to drive home with a scooter and didn’t have space to carry it, so I had to wear it right away over my long wool coat. It was a pretty cool styling idea. And it make sense - a bomber jacket, when large enough, can look great worn over coats. It gives a streetwear edge to a trench coat, as seen at sacai, and a sporty, casual look to a Saint Laurent blazer.

Sacai FW24, Saint Laurent SS25

A short look at the past

Bomber jackets have been around for over a century, originally made in 1917 by the US Army Aviation to keep WWI pilots warm in their open-air cockpits. One of the most iconic styles is the MA-1, which is still produced today by Alpha Industries. You’ll know them by the bright orange lining, which was originally used by the military so that the jackets could be turned inside out for maximum visibility in case of an emergency.

At first, bombers were made of leather with fur collars, while flight jackets—which we often call bombers too—look more like tracksuit jackets. Over time, the lines have blurred, so for this review, I’m looking at all variations of bombers, no matter the mix or remix.

Given all this, let's review how this military staple has been adopted by the fashion world and reimagined by many designers.

• Raf Simons redefined the bomber in 2001, adding David Bowie and Bauhaus patches to a standard army jacket, turning it into a cult favorite among fashion archivists.

• The Issey Miyake Parachute bomber from 1996 had a revival when A$AP Rocky wore it for his Riot album launch.

• Sacai has endlessly reinvented the bomber, deconstructing it and merging it into coats with new takes in every collection.

• For Raf's Prada debut, Miuccia and he reimagined the bomber, adding print linings, feathers and even turning it into a pillow.

• Jonathan Anderson’s padded Loewe bomber went viral after Kendall Jenner wore it, starting a wave that led to Acne Studios’ version and many more dupes.

• Phoebe Philo gave the bomber a cropped style for her New York Times interview.

• Demna brought the bomber to Couture at Balenciaga, a style he’s been experimenting with since his Vetements days. Now a Balenciaga staple, it’s mostly oversized but has been seen cropped in his latest collection.

It's a work in progress, but these are a few key moments that were special for bringing bombers into the spotlight. What was your bomber moment? Did I miss it?

Finding the perfect bomber

It comes down to 3 questions:

1. Do I go shrunken or wide?

2. Do I see it as a transitional, layering piece or do I want a (fall-)winter jacket?

3. Am I breaking the bank?

From shrunken to wide:

Runway looks between 2021 to 2025 featuring bombers jackets, sorted by style.

In the middle are the more classic shapes from Bally, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Dior, mainly from men’s runways. Many brands now offer both shrunken and oversized versions of the same jacket, like Rick Owens, Prada, Isabel Marant so it’s really up to you to try and see what fits better and feels right.

Right now I think the shrunken version is fresher and gives more structure to a look, but I also think it can be harder to wear. You can’t just throw it on, it has to make sense with the waist of your pants, you can’t have a huge sweater underneath. If you’re already used to accentuating your waist in your silhouette, it can be a great fit, otherwise a longer, wider version might work better.

A transitional piece or a (fall-)winter jacket

I added “Fall” because I think it’s hard to really replace a winter jacket with a bomber. It seems that the padded Loewe one is made for that and other heavy leather versions might do the job too, but it takes away from the versatility of the piece. However, if you want something warm, here is a good place to talk about the original bomber jacket (not flight jacket) and explore the options we have for a fur collar or furry bomber as I would call the Sacai one.

Bombers with fur collar. from left to right: Our Legacy, LEMAIRE, Wales Bonner, Coperni, Andersson Bell, Sacai, Balenciaga

Now if you want something more versatile, you might want to go nylon with a flight jacket style.

I don’t want to scare you, but there are many options, which I have all listed in a Google Sheet. Find it here.

And a few highlights here:

Bomber jackets in nylon. from left to right: Loewe, Ottolinger, Loewe, Noir Kei Ninomiya, Chopova Lowena, Carhartt WIP, Courrèges, Martine Rose

Worth the investment?

I want to say yes. You’ll wear it so often that Cost Per Wear will be unbeatable. If you’re after something sporty, approachable, nylon styles from Carhartt WIP or Alpha Industries are solid entry point. For leather, make sure to invest in a high-quality pieces that you’ll hold forever.

I was just at KaDeWe in Berlin and tried two leather bomber. First, the Balenciaga Harrington—big WOW, and then The Frankie Shop’s one. Just from the weight alone, they felt like two different worlds. The price? Five worlds apart. But trying on well-made pieces is key to understanding what sets them apart. It’s also fun and frustrating at the same time.

Until my Vestiaire Collective alert comes through, I’ll just be here, patiently waiting. :)