Amy Westcott is an American costume designer known for her work in contemporary film and television. After studying fashion design at Syracuse University, she transitioned into costume design and has since played a key role in films such as Black Swan, Nightcrawler and The Menu.
In 2024, I saw a movie called Wolfs, starring Brad Pitt and George Clooney.
The leather jackets, particularly the one Brad Pitt wore, stood out immediately. Up until then, I never imagined a leather jacket could look so refined, let alone be worn formally. Growing up, I had always associated them with bikers, largely because most of the men I saw wearing them were riders. The styles they wore often felt too casual and aggressive for my taste.
Most biker jackets tend to lean heavily into hardware and attitude. Large lapels, oversized zips, thick belts around the waist, shiny silver studs, quilted padding on the shoulders and arms, asymmetrical front closures, cropped fits, and glossy leather finishes. There’s a rebelliousness to them that works perfectly within biker culture, but personally, I could never see myself wearing one with tailored trousers, knitwear, or smarter footwear. They always felt more like costumes than versatile wardrobe pieces.
This is not to say I hadn’t seen cleaner versions over the years, but there was always something missing. Either the design looked right but the leather quality felt cheap, or the leather looked fantastic while the fit and styling ruined the entire thing. Other times, everything looked perfect until you saw the price tag. So it was refreshing to see a leather jacket in Wolfs that looked refined, luxurious, wearable, and surprisingly attainable.
Huge credit goes to Amy Westcott, who was also the film’s costume designer. Through Brad Pitt’s wardrobe, she completely changed my perspective on leather jackets.
In the film, Brad Pitt wore the AllSaints Lark Leather Jacket made from black goatskin leather. Honestly, it was the first leather jacket I had ever seen that looked genuinely sophisticated rather than overly rugged or rebellious.
What immediately stood out was the restraint in the design. There were no loud details fighting for attention. No chunky belts, oversized buckles, dramatic collars, or excessive hardware. The jacket relied on clean lines, proportions, texture, and fit instead.
The goatskin leather itself deserves special mention because it completely changed how I viewed leather quality. Unlike the shiny corrected leather often found on cheaper fashion jackets, this one felt it had depth and softness. It looked durable yet relaxed at the same time. Under different lighting conditions, you could see subtle grain variations across the surface, which gave the jacket character without making it look rough or overly masculine.
That was probably the moment I realised the problem was never leather jackets themselves. I had simply been exposed to the wrong styles for most of my life.
The fit also played a huge role. Traditional biker jackets often feel cropped and stiff, whereas this one draped naturally on the body. It looked streamlined without becoming skinny, something modern menswear often struggles to balance properly. The jacket complemented the rest of the outfit rather than dominating it.
And this is where Amy Westcott’s styling elevated everything even further.
Instead of pairing the jacket with ripped denim, graphic T-shirts, or bulky biker boots, she styled it with refined pieces: fine gauge knitwear, tailored wool trousers, understated lace-up boots, open-collar shirting and soft layered textures.
The result was something I genuinely never thought possible: a leather jacket that looked elegant.
Not elegant in a corporate or overly polished sense either. It looked relaxed, masculine, understated, and mature. The kind of style that feels effortless because nothing is trying too hard.
Amy Westcott also did a fantastic job styling George Clooney’s character. I won’t go into too much detail because Brad Pitt’s wardrobe resonated with me more personally, but the contrast between both men was extremely well done. Pitt’s outfits leaned towards shirts, pullovers and lighter trousers, while Clooney’s wardrobe focused more on darker tones: roll necks, and trousers that gave his character a calm sophistication. Both wardrobes felt believable, stylish, and realistic without drifting into flashy Hollywood styling.
That balance is what impressed me most about the costume design overall. Amy Westcott understood that good style rarely needs to scream for attention. Sometimes quality fabrics, proper fit, and thoughtful coordination are more than enough.
One of the biggest lessons I took from the film is that elegance often has less to do with the item itself and more to do with what surrounds it.
A leather jacket paired with distressed jeans and heavy biker boots tells one story. That same jacket paired with charcoal wool trousers and fine knitwear tells a completely different story.
Brad Pitt also wore a charcoal zip-up sweater from N.Peal made from a cashmere-silk blend, and that piece quietly tied the entire outfit together. The softness of the knit against the matte richness of the leather created balance. Nothing competed for attention, yet every piece contributed something.
The entire wardrobe stayed mostly within dark neutral tones: black, charcoal, muted greys. Yet the outfits never looked flat because the textures carried the visual interest, goatskin leather, brushed wool, soft cashmere, smooth cotton shirting, pebbled leather boots.
Once you start paying attention to texture, you begin to understand why some outfits look expensive even when they are visually simple.
I believe most people focus heavily on colour coordination, but texture coordination may actually be more important once you move beyond beginner-level dressing.
Another thing I appreciated was how believable the wardrobe felt. Brad Pitt’s character looked stylish, but still realistic. He looked like someone with good taste rather than someone trying to impress the internet. That distinction matters because a lot of modern menswear content today prioritises attention over longevity.
Many outfits online are built around trends, exaggerated silhouettes, loud accessories, or styling choices designed purely for engagement. They may photograph well on social media, but often feel disconnected from real life.
The wardrobe in Wolfs felt different because it understood longevity. Every piece looked timeless. The leather jacket, the wool trousers, the knitwear and the boots. Nothing depended on trends to feel modern.
And ironically, that is exactly why the outfits worked so well in my opinion.
Since watching the film, I’ve started viewing leather jackets completely differently. I no longer see them purely as rebellious outerwear tied to biker culture. I now see them as versatile layering pieces capable of working alongside tailoring, knitwear, loafers, and elevated smart casual clothing.
But perhaps the biggest takeaway from all of this is understanding that style is rarely about individual pieces alone.
It’s about harmony.
The reason Brad Pitt’s jacket looked so good was not simply because it was made from quality goatskin leather. It was the combination of refined textures, restrained styling, balanced proportions, mature colour palettes, understated layering and proper fit.
That’s the real lesson Amy Westcott’s costume design taught me. Not just how to wear the right leather jacket, but how to think about style altogether.
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