History of Leather
Humans have been using leather for as long as they have been dressing themselves, - first recorded representations of leather clothing are from Spain dating to 20,000 BCE - but the evolution of leather's symbolism in our culture has advanced far more than mere clothing. On one side of the spectrum, leather is a symbol of material wealth, on the other side of the spectrum, it's a symbol for sex, and of course there's everything in between. Leather also can have many symbols in one, it can be classy AND sexy, think of sports cars with leather interiors. Leather breathes well and is durable and wind-resistant at the same time, making it a prime choice for outerwear as well as car interiors, home decor and jewelry.
While leather has been used for thousands of years, it hasn't been until the mid-20th century that two of the most iconic leather symbols emerged. One of the most famous icons was the leather jacket. While there are many different types of people who wear leather jackets, the message is the same: sexy, dangerous and always cool. The attire gained popularity early in the 20th century due to movies like: The Avengers and Eddie and the Cruisers. This led to the "greaser" look of the 1950s and of course was made even more iconic in the '80s by "The Fonz" (from Happy Days) and the movie Grease. Besides greasers, other famous leather jacket wearers include notorious biker gang the Hell's Angels.
Leather also features prominently in the gay and BDSM community. Gay leather culture grew out of post-WWII biker culture in the 1940s due to dissatisfaction of the status quo which eventually grew into the Hollister "riot", where biker gangs allegedly "took over the town" of Hollister, CA. Marlon Brando's appearance in leather in The Wild One also helped to promote an image of masculine independence that appealed to many gay men who were tired of being stereotyped as effeminate. Many gay men who were part of the leather culture also began to explore kink whilst wearing leather. This could have led to the association with sparse leather clothing in the BDS&M communities as these originally were a subculture of the gay community.
Humans first began creating leather for practical purposes. Today, whether it's the clothes we wear or inside the cars we drive, the use of leather issues a strong statement to all observers. From high-class to kink, leather remains one of the only materials that fit almost everyone's needs.