In fashion, the difference between passé and perfect often comes down to the smallest details—in this case, the satisfying click of a metal clasp. The fireman jacket, a utilitarian spin on the classic chore coat, has ignited as this season’s most compelling outerwear trend, blending rugged functionality with a tactile, ASMR-inducing allure.
The Anatomy of a Trend
Distinguished by its weighty metal clasps—originally designed for firefighters to fasten gloves with ease—the fireman jacket has transcended its workwear roots. Supreme’s glossy cowhide iteration (priced at a cool $1,000) and British label Ronning’s waist-length versions (targeting early adopters at a fraction of the cost) have propelled the style into the fashion zeitgeist. Even vintage dealers report surging demand, with archival pieces from defunct labels like Hunter Haig and Energie resurfacing as coveted artifacts.
The appeal is as much sensory as sartorial: the clasps lock with a decisive snap, evoking the precision of a roller-coaster harness. As the owner of a vintage Energie jacket, I can attest—it’s the ideal fidget accessory for procrastination or pondering the next big trend.
A Legacy of Gleaming Hardware
Though newly resonant, the fireman jacket is hardly novel. Ralph Lauren cemented its mainstream appeal in the ’90s, with Liam Gallagher famously sporting a color-blocked Polo version in 1994—a look that still circulates as vintage inspo. “Ralph made them wearable,” notes Matt Roberge, a Vancouver-based vintage dealer specializing in decades-old Polo iterations, from corduroy-collared denim to sun-bleached washes.
Designers are now reimagining the silhouette for a modern audience. Sigurd Bank of Scandinavian label Mfpen—whose tri-clasp denim jacket (now sold out) was worn by Adrien Brody in British GQ—drew inspiration from vintage finds but elevated them with Italian-made hardware and corduroy paneling. “I wanted to update it,” Bank explains, bridging archival integrity with contemporary minimalism.
The Barn Coat’s Edgier Sibling
The fireman jacket’s resurgence aligns with the broader revival of rugged outerwear—think Barbour x J. Crew’s barn coats or L.L. Bean’s lightweight field jackets. But where those styles lean pastoral, the fireman jacket offers a grittier, more industrial edge.
“It’s a continuation of the workwear wave, but the hardware makes it feel fresh,” says Jalil Johnson, founder of the fashion newsletter Consider Yourself Cultured. For those fatigued by barn-coat saturation, the fireman jacket serves as a subtly subversive alternative—close enough to feel familiar, but distinctive enough to stand apart.
Why It Works Now
In an era obsessed with tactile satisfaction and nostalgic utility, the fireman jacket delivers on both fronts. “It’s no deeper than ‘I like these clasps,’” admits Kiyana Salkeld, a New York product designer and owner of two Brut jackets. Yet that simplicity is its strength: the design slots seamlessly into existing wardrobes while offering just enough novelty to feel intentional.
As Salkeld puts it: “Sometimes, you just want a slightly different version of the same thing.” And in the alchemy of fashion, that slight twist—whether a clasp, a cut, or a click—is often what sparks a flame.
The Takeaway
The fireman jacket isn’t merely a trend; it’s a testament to fashion’s cyclical love affair with functional details. Whether sourced from vintage racks or reissued by avant-garde labels, its appeal lies in the marriage of nostalgia and novelty—proof that the right hardware can turn a workhorse into a wardrobe star. For spring, it’s not just a coat. It’s a statement—one that fastens with authority.