The ‘It girl’ coat celebrities adore – and how to get your own

Now and then, one item of clothing becomes so popular that it sends the fashion world into a fugue state. Everything that came before it is wiped from memory. Suddenly, nobody can see, speak, or think about anything else besides that singular, standout item: who has one? Who’s still scrambling to get one? And who’s wearing it best?

We‘ve seen it happen with the Loewe tank top, Alaïa’s mesh ballet flats, and of course, Margiela’s tabis split-toe shoe. Now, the most coveted piece of the season has been crowned as Conner Ives’ fur and silk robe, coming in at a cool £6,500. A reconstituted vintage fur piece, the coat is made from crepe silk satin and embroidered with cherry blossoms. Its cuffs are vintage blue fox fur, sourced from vintage fur sellers to ensure no animals were harmed directly in the coat’s production.

The coat made its debut on the American designer’s autumn/winter 2025 runway and has since been sending the style set into a tizzy. Kate Moss wore the cropped black version over jeans on a night out in January. Zoe Kravitz stepped out in a pale blue variation for an SNL after-party with her boyfriend, Harry Styles. And Laura Harrier recently wore the same one as Moss over capri leggings.

Other notable appearances have come by way of Sienna Miller at this year’s Serpentine party – the actor wore a neon yellow version over a silky cream slip dress – and Kim Cattrall, who wore a black cropped robe to Ives’ autumn/winter 2026 show in London in February.

And earlier this week, Kendall Jenner was seen wearing the full-length cream version to dinner with Dakota Johnson. The model paired her coat with black trousers, a cream tee, and a Chanel maxi tote.

It’s hard to recall the last time a single piece of outerwear had this many famously stylish celebrities in such a chokehold. Of course, statement coats are nothing new – Charlotte Simone’s entire brand, which has spawned several viral coats, is built around just that – and they are almost always in homage to the same piece of pop culture: Penny Lane in the cult Noughties film, Almost Famous.

““The Penny Lane is timeless, vintage styles have always inspired me when designing Charlotte Simone collections,” says the designer. “The Penny started with a coat found hanging in my grandma’s wardrobe. I’d always loved rummaging through her clothes, but this one stopped me in my tracks. It was a true sixties piece, with the most beautiful shape, and you could tell it had been really worn, loved and lived in… So when it came to designing our first coat, I kept in mind that spirit and silhouette I’d fallen for. I’ve always believed a coat can be the whole outfit, and that idea really came from her.”

Ever since a baby-faced Kate Hudson stepped out in that bohemian faux-fur-trimmed coat, with her blond curls tucked into the collar, outerwear has never quite been the same. Maybe it’s because we subconsciously associate the look with Hudson, everyone’s favourite cool girl. Or perhaps it’s because of Noughties nostalgia; fashion is almost always looking back to a pre-digital age.

It might also just be because there’s something about a fur-trimmed coat and what wearing one says about you. Nobody slinks into a party in one of these coats; you demand attention. People want to talk to you. Find things out about you. Be near you.

These coats can transform outfits, too. Often worn best over the most casual of ensembles, they have the power to elevate you into a higher sartorial sphere. Is there anything quite as cool as throwing one of these robes on over a pair of jeans and a white vest? The outfit can take you anywhere, from an A-list party to the corner shop. And chances are you’d feel amazing in either context.

Unfortunately, not many of us will be able to afford Ives’ exceedingly high price tags. But fear not, as there are plenty of more affordable alternatives that will pack just as much of a fashion punch. First off, may we suggest looking at Hayley Menzies, the London-based designer whose quilted satin Olsen coats are a stunning variation on the trend. Available in lilac and black, these full-length, embroidered robes come with faux fur cuffs that encompass the subversive, vintage-inspired spirit underpinning this trend. And at £590, they’re much cheaper than Ives’ offering, though no less popular.

“The response to our Olsen coats has been extraordinary,” Menzies tells The Independent. “Our DMs have been inundated and we’d almost sold out before they even arrived. There’s a real appetite for expressive, statement-making fashion again, and I’m absolutely here for it.”

As for what’s fuelling the demand for these super plush, indulgent pieces, Menzies thinks it’s about a desire to return to opulence, or loud luxury, so to speak. “I think the return of the opera coat is the perfect antidote to years of quiet luxury and beige minimalism – a trend I never subscribed to,” she explains. “What makes it so relevant right now is the way it’s being worn: with a modern, slightly indie-grunge attitude that makes all that drama feel effortlessly cool. It’s a wonderful clash of romance and rebellion, and I think it signals an exciting shift in where fashion is heading.”

For other iterations of the style, look to Rixo, whose Micah embroidered jacket is currently available to pre-order for January. With voluminous faux fur cuffs and a black, floral embroidered exterior, this £395 jacket is a perfect alternative to Ives’ offering and will look just as good thrown over a slip dress as it will a pair of PJs – think Carrie Bradshaw nipping out in New York’s bitter winter weather on New Year’s Eve to visit a rather lonely Miranda Hobbes, as she does in the first Sex and the City film.

Another brand making waves on social media for its statement coats is Carelli, which offers more structured cropped styles with faux fur cuffs for £433. Then there’s Charlotte Simone, whose next autumn/winter drop will be released in November – the London designer’s capsule collections regularly feature variants of “Penny” coats designed in homage to Hudson’s character, which typically retail for upwards of £350.

Finally, if you want to channel the trend in its most organic form, look at vintage styles. That way, you’ll find one-off options almost nobody else will have, though it might take a bit of rummaging around to find the perfect piece. One of a Kind is likely to have some options, as is Vestiaire Collective, which sells second-hand designer pieces for a fraction of the full price – you can often haggle these down, too. You could even find some lookalikes on Vinted and Etsy, if you search hard enough.

However you find your robe for the season, make sure you take good care of it. These coats tend to be delicate pieces, and while you shouldn’t save them for special occasions, remember that style points are worth sacrificing if it means preserving an item of clothing as special as this. So if the weather takes a turn and you find yourself wondering what to throw on, you might want to reach for a waterproof mac instead.