Del Boy Fashion

Why Del Boy Trotter is the unexpected fashion icon of this season

Only Fools and Horses fans will love this. Derek Trotter was known for his wheeler-dealing, providing the people of Peckham with Romanian VCRs, hairdryers that doubled up as toasters and gold sovereign rings which turned green after a day.

However, one thing he certainly wasn’t known for was his fashion sense… until now.

Del Boy, played by David Jason, was more likely to get his clothes from the back of a lorry than backstage at fashion week, but his signature look is actually one that you’ll see everywhere this winter – in Paris and Peckham alike.

This season, shearling is trending in a big way. Google data shows a 614% increase in searches for the fabric, and BoohooMAN has predicted leather and faux fur trims will also be popular, after featuring heavily on AW/22 Loewe, Dior, Balmain, Coach, and Bottega Veneta catwalks.

Throw in the Peaky Blinders flat cap and smart suit and you can practically hear your wardrobe saying ‘this time next year we’ll be millionaires.’

Look around the high street and you’ll spot shearling crombies, tweed hats, 80s Wall Street-inspired tailoring, and costume jewellery designed to be layered for maximum effect.

Despite Del’s reputation for knock-offs and outrageous accessories, there’s a surprising amount that can be gleaned from studying the unlikely icon’s fashion through the years. Coco Chanel famously said, ‘Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.’ But at the school of Trotter, outlandishness, over elegance and standing-out is basically fitting in.

A sheepskin donkey jacket is a good place to start (for men and women), and there are plenty of options from the likes of Superdry and Bershka. Don’t forget to check charity shops first though. 

A nod to the power dressing era is a less obvious way to get in on the Del Boy trend. Rather than a plain white shirt, consider a striped button-down with a contrasting collar, and go big with braces and a wide tie.

Remember, we’re looking for an outfit here, not a costume, so you can dip your toe in without exactly copying the combinations in Only Fools. I recommend a colourful suit as a modern and wearable homage to the era. Acid green and cobalt blue were featured a lot this year and would be a way to bring some brightness and fun to the season, instead of sticking to the usual autumnal colours.’

Embrace the kitsch quality of shoulder pads, statement accessories, and deliberately old-school outerwear, taking inspo not just from Derek Trotter but from Minder’s Arthur Daley or Eastenders’ Den Watts; anyone with a large helping of swagger.