When Miuccia Prada proposed new ideas on the runway, the world listened, and for Spring/Summer 2024, the designer introduced the barn jacket as an aspirational outerwear style. Worn styles in navy, khaki, brown, and hunter green are layered over sheer tasseled skirts, giving directional separates a “dog-walking” nonchalance.

Prada Spring/Summer 2024.

Fendi Men’s Fall/Winter 2024.
The Burn jacket’s popularity has risen dramatically, but the craze has been building for a while: A year before it landed Prada’s endorsement, Jonathan Anderson showed a cropped waxed-cotton jacket with a checked lining that recalled a Barbour jacket in Loewe’s spring/summer 2024 collection, which mimicked the sculptural silhouette of Anderson’s micro-hemmed mini dresses.
Meanwhile, Carhartt WIP’s Workaday Detroit Jacket has been a mainstay in the wardrobes of celebrities and supermodels in recent years, recently ranking #5 on Lyst’s Q1 Most Popular Products Index (searches (410% compared to previous months).

The Row Spring/Summer 2024.

Loewe Spring/Summer 2023.
Beyond Detroit, Carhartt WIP has several versions directly inspired by the original chore jacket. Carhartt was the original workwear company founded in 1889 and was behind the styles first released in the 1920s, before his WIP offshoot was launched in 1994. Contemporary reinterpretations from both high street and designer brands pay homage to classic designs, including corduroy collars, multiple pockets, and metal pop buttons. See: The Row’s slouchy Frank jacket, Toteme’s quilted iteration, Mackintosh’s waxed Blair jacket, and Uniqlo’s utility jacket (from the men’s department). Note that you can also find attractive used versions on resale sites like eBay, Vinted, and Depop.
Whether you pair it with jeans and a tank top, a skirt or a dress, keep scrolling to see more of the best barn jackets that will work perfectly with your spring wardrobe.
This article was originally published British Vogue.