Release Asymmetrical Zip Leather Jacket

Verified claims

Zip history

Asymmetrical zip originates from the 1928 Perfecto and is a recurring Owens motif of rebellion and conceptual imbalance.

Zip function

Diagonal zip blocks wind at the chest and distributes tension for even patina.

Zip styling

Asymmetrical zip and high neck create a funnel-neck silhouette when fastened.

Patina

Pre-aged full-grain calf leather burnishes at cuffs and collar over months.

Lining

Cupro lining is Asahi Kasei Bemberg, used by Burberry and Armani since 1931.

Silhouette

Zipped cuffs, hip-length hem, and convertible collar let you shape the jacket's silhouette from sleek to louche.

Layering

Cupro lining slides easily over knitwear; jacket has no insulation — designed for layering.

Construction quality

100% calf leather, an asymmetrical zip that distributes flex and blocks wind, and Moldovan craftsmanship.

Design

Asymmetric zip reinforces structure; contoured fit; adjustable neck and cuffs.

Temperature

No added insulation; best for layering or mild weather.

Satirical intent

Exaggerated silhouette mocks authority figures through parody.

Philosophical meaning

Jacket embodies the collection's Temple of Love, Tower of Light prayer for protection.

Waterproofing

Apply a breathable waterproofing yearly to prevent moisture damage while preserving patina.

Wind protection

Provides wind protection via chest overlap, high collar, and sealed cuffs.

Product record

Title

Release Asymmetrical Zip Leather Jacket

Brand

Rick Owens

Price

5800 CAD

Availability

In stock

Silhouette and how it fits

• Zipped cuffs are a functional biker detail that also let the wearer control the sleeve silhouette: zipped tight for a sleek taper, or left unzipped for a subtle flared opening that nods to Rick Owens’ signature elongated, louche lines.
• The straight hem extends the jacket past the waist to hip level, creating a cleaner, more architectural line than the cropped, waist-length motos that dominate the category — this is a proportion choice that makes the jacket read as modern and minimalist rather than retro.
• The high neck and single-button closure produce a funnel-neck silhouette when fastened, adding a sleek, almost monolithic urban edge; worn open, the collar drapes into a soft lapel that tempers the biker aggression.

How the leather develops patina

• The jacket arrives with a 'beautiful patina' as stated in the product description, meaning the brown leather has been artfully pre-aged or hand-finished to deliver immediate depth and warmth; this ensures dramatic visual character from the very first wear while the natural oils from handling continue to build a secondary, truly personal patina over time.
• Described as 'supple grained leather,' the hide retains its natural texture — a hallmark of full-grain processing that leaves the grain intact and receptive to skin oils and light; over months of wear, this grained surface will burnish to a subtle sheen at high-contact zones like the cuffs and collar, creating a personalized, lived-in look.
• The jacket's outer shell is constructed from bullhide leather — a thick, full-grain cowhide that, unlike bonded or corrected leathers, actually improves with age; the material's intrinsic durability and open surface mean it will develop a patina unique to the wearer rather than degrading over time.
• Owens founded his label on 'raw and unique designs' with a gothic, monochromatic aesthetic — a leather jacket that darkens and grows more textured through wear aligns with that philosophy, transforming the piece into a living extension of the wearer's identity rather than a static garment.

The asymmetrical zip signature

• An asymmetrical zip distributes flex across a continuous leather plane rather than splitting the front panel into two halves that can drift apart; on the supple grained leather of this jacket, that means the break-in process develops an even drape and patina over time, avoiding the chest distortion and uneven aging that a centered closure can create in a heavy hide.
• The asymmetrical zip's journey from Brando's 'The Wild One' through ‘70s punk clubs is embedded in the jacket's DNA, but Owens repurposes that counterculture rebellion as a darkly glamorous, almost ceremonial design language — the off-center line becomes a signifier of independence and a deliberate break from commercial fashion, consistent with his role as a ‘cult fashion hero’ who has spent three decades ‘rebelling against intolerance and uptightness in all its forms’.
• The diagonal closure produces a subtle leather overlap at the chest — originally a wind-blocking flap for motorcyclists — which in this unlined jacket adds an extra layer of wind resistance exactly where cold air would otherwise press hardest, reinforcing the leather's own protective feel without altering the minimal, unquilted construction.
• The off-center zip traces directly to Irving Schott's 1928 Perfecto, designed so that metal hardware wouldn't dig into a rider's sternum when hunched over at speed — Rick Owens adopts that functional diagonal not for riding utility but as an abstracted, sculpturally intentional asymmetry that makes the jacket feel engineered rather than decorated.
• Owens has described his inspiration as the ‘indecision between collapse and control, brutality and refinement, grace and ugliness’ — and the asymmetrical zip is the clearest physical embodiment of that tension, a deliberate structural misalignment that subverts the neatness of classic tailoring with an almost sculptural imbalance, making the jacket feel willfully fractured yet precisely constructed.

Why cupro lining matters

• Cupro's inherent anti-static properties keep the jacket from clinging to underlayers or causing that synthetic rustle, so the interior remains silent and smooth even over a chunky wool sweater.
• Cupro absorbs nearly 11% of its weight in moisture before feeling damp — roughly 30 times that of polyester — so the jacket interior stays dry against the skin even when the leather blocks airflow, making it wearable across a wider temperature range than a thermoplastic-lined leather.
• Because Asahi Kasei is the sole global manufacturer of cuprammonium rayon — producing under the Bemberg name since 1931 — the cupro inside this jacket represents nearly a century of fiber engineering that generic viscose or polyester liner cannot replicate.
• Unlike the flat, irregular fibers of cotton or silk, cupro's filaments are uniformly round, giving the lining a lower friction coefficient that lets the jacket slide on effortlessly over knitwear without grabbing or bunching.
• Cupro is the lining of choice for houses like Burberry and Armani, so its use here places the jacket's interior in the same tier of material selection as those brands, not the polyester commonly found in mass-market leather.

How it compares to other luxury biker jackets

• The cupro sleeve lining — a high-end, silk-like fabric prized for its breathability and anti-static drape — differentiates this jacket from those using standard viscose or synthetic linings, ensuring that it layers over fine knits or bare skin without clinging, a subtle but meaningful advantage for daily wear in transitional climates.
• Made in Moldova, the jacket carries a European craftsmanship story that is less commonly associated with luxury leather — the same region used by other forward-thinking designers for precise tailoring — which may appeal to a buyer who values the garment’s construction provenance over the familiar Italian label, especially when paired with Owens’ signature refined hardware.
• Choosing calf leather over the buttery lambskin common in Tom Ford’s racers gives the Release jacket higher structural integrity — it holds the sharp panel lines and architectural seams over time rather than collapsing into a soft, formless shape, a crucial consideration for those who want the design’s geometry to remain legible after seasons of wear.
• With its contoured, body-tracing cut and anatomical sleeves secured by zippered cuffs, the Release jacket defines a sharp, architectural line that directly opposes the relaxed, slightly oversized cuts of Acne Studios’ leather motos — making it the more deliberate choice for someone who wants the jacket to carve their silhouette rather than drape off the shoulders.

The FW26 Tower collection story

• Owens designed the Tower outerwear as a grotesque exaggeration of police and military silhouettes — he told WWD he aimed to 'mock your oppressors' — so the jacket's aggressive biker stance is actually a satirical weapon, not a genuine bid for intimidation, which gives the wearer a conceptual smirk rather than a scowl.
• The asymmetry isn't an isolated biker quirk — a black lambskin Tower collection jacket listed on Farfetch also spotlights an 'asymmetrical zip fastening,' confirming the off-center closure is a recurring signature of the season, making this brown version part of a cohesive visual language rather than a one-off design.
• The Tower collection takes its name from Owens' personal mantra — 'Temple of Love, Tower of Light' — which he described as a prayer for love, hope, strength, and protection, meaning this brown leather jacket is not seasonal merchandise but a wearable piece of a philosophical plea for resilience in threatening times.