There’s a window at the end of every summer — usually sometime in September — where the weather hasn’t quite turned yet but you can feel it coming. That’s the ideal moment to give your leather goods some attention before the rain, mud, and eventually road salt arrive. A couple of hours now will save you from dealing with tide marks, cracked leather, and salt stains later in the season.
Here’s how to do it properly.
Before reaching for any product, go through your leather items one by one and take a good look at them in natural light. Summer is harder on leather than most people realise — UV exposure fades and dries out the surface, heat draws out natural oils, and sweat leaves behind salt residue that continues to degrade leather long after it dries.
On shoes and boots, pay particular attention to the welt (the seam where the upper meets the sole), the heel counter, and anywhere the leather flexes repeatedly. These are the first places to crack. On bags, check the handles, base corners, and strap attachment points — areas that take the most mechanical stress. On jackets, run your hand across the elbows and underarms. If the leather feels stiff or papery, it’s dehydrated and needs conditioning before anything else.
If you spot any significant colour loss, scuffing, or early cracking, note it now. These are much easier to address on clean, freshly conditioned leather than on dry, neglected surfaces.
This is the step people most often skip, and it’s a mistake. Applying conditioner over a summer’s worth of dirt, sunscreen residue, and old product buildup doesn’t nourish the leather — it just seals the contaminants in. Always clean first.
For smooth leather shoes, bags, and jackets, the Leather Cleaner by Valentino Garemi is a solid all-purpose option that removes surface grime without stripping the leather. For more thorough seasonal cleaning — particularly on fine shoes or quality bags — Saphir Leather Cleaner Lotion does an excellent job of lifting embedded residue without drying out the surface.
For suede and nubuck, start with a dry brush to lift the nap and loosen surface dirt before using any liquid product. The Leather Suede Cleaning Set by Valentino Garemi handles both the cleaning and stain treatment in one kit. Let everything dry fully at room temperature — not near a radiator, not in the sun — before moving on.
If you only do one thing this season, make it this. Leather is skin — it needs moisture to stay supple, and summer depletes that moisture faster than any other season. Going into autumn with dry, brittle leather means the first cold, wet day can cause cracking that’s difficult or impossible to fully reverse.
For shoes and boots, Leather Refresher Cream by Valentino Garemi is a reliable everyday conditioner that works well as a seasonal treatment. If your leather feels genuinely stiff or looks visibly parched, step up to the Leather Conditioner & Renovating Balm by Avel France, which is formulated to deeply restore flexibility in dried-out leather.
For bags — especially smooth leather totes, handbags, or briefcases — Famaco Delicate Leather Gel is a good choice because it absorbs cleanly without leaving a residue that attracts dust. If you carry a designer or luxury bag, use Precious Leather Lotion by Famaco Paris instead — it’s specifically formulated for high-end leather and won’t interfere with delicate finishes.
For smaller items like belts and wallets, the Leather Accessories Care Set by Valentino Garemi covers both cleaning and conditioning and is a convenient way to handle these items without needing separate products.
Once everything is clean and conditioned, the final step is applying a protective treatment. This is what creates the barrier between your leather and autumn rain, mud puddle splash, and the road salt that starts appearing in November. Don’t wait until after the first wet day to do this — by then, tide marks may already have formed.
For general leather protection across shoes, bags, and jackets, the Anti-Stain Protection Spray by Avel France is a versatile, finish-safe option that works on smooth leather, suede, and fabric without altering colour or sheen. For boots that are going to face serious rain and mud — particularly heavier leather work or country boots — Waterproof Eco Protect by Famaco France provides a stronger, longer-lasting barrier.
For suede and nubuck, always use a dedicated suede protector — general leather protectors can mat the nap and change the texture. Browse our suede and nubuck care range for the right option.
If you’re rotating summer-specific items out of rotation — sandals, lighter leather sneakers, a summer bag — store them properly rather than just boxing them up. Leather stored dirty or dry deteriorates even in a closet.
Clean and condition everything before it goes into storage. Insert shoe trees into all footwear, stuff bags with tissue paper to hold their shape, and hang jackets on wide padded hangers inside a breathable garment bag. Never use airtight plastic storage — leather needs to breathe, and trapped moisture encourages mould. A cool, dry spot away from direct sunlight is ideal.
The best time to do all of this is before you need to. Don’t wait for the first autumn downpour to think about waterproofing, or until your boots start cracking to reach for the conditioner. Seasonal leather care is preventive by nature — and it takes far less effort to maintain leather in good condition than to restore it after damage.
Browse our full leather care range and seasonal care kits to find everything you need for the transition.
