It is not easy to have leather clothes without animals (and without cruelty, waste of land and water). Yet it is worth saving resources and living beings: this is why research is engineering yeasts to produce collagen proteins during fermentation. It happens to Modern Meadow, one of the most advanced New Jersey companies in the field.
Once fermented, the "yeast-skin" receives a nice cleaning and here is ready a bit of "fabric" that can closely resemble animal skin: it can be sewn and tanned, you can make a nice studded and vegan nail.
It will be necessary to refine the research, of course: dozens and dozens of attempts and crossings are allowing scientists to produce thicker or thinner "fabrics", with different textile strengths depending on the destination (clothes, upholstery and more).
There is still a little while to come up with something resistant, malleable, beautiful and affordable, but there is a lot of interest in this challenge that crosses biology, design, fashion and respect for animals and nature.
