Leather Jackets: Post Pictures of the Best You've Seen/Owned?

[MickeyPunch]

The irony: I make jackets -> some brands copy them -> I force the logo even for custom orders -> people can’t stand the logo -> they buy the copies (which might be better made than the originals, on top of that).

It’s an example of a terrible business decision IMO.

On the one hand I undestand LL’s frustrations. On the other hand according to Wikipedia they released their first “double rider” after the success of Schott’s Perfecto in The Wild One, so that kinda makes me think they lost the right to complain about copies. A DR is a truly unique design, if you put me in an alternate universe where DRs don’t exist, lock me up in a room and ask me to draw a thousand leather jackets designs, and I would never come up with something like it. But even Schott got their ideas somewhere, the guy in this thread who kept talking about “lancer” jackets can attest.

But the jacket at hand (Corsair) is basically a shirt made of leather and with a zip instead of buttons and a couple of details (sleeve zippers and side adjusters) that I presume were commonplace in leather jackets already at the time, it’s a simple design. I happen to not really like the most distinctive design detail (the tab at the hem). But yeah I guess being such a simple design you could argue Addict, FCL and others could have simply done their own version of a collared moto jacket (and DRs, for that matter) without being replicas, like LL did with their Perfecto version. But at least in the case of Addict the owner really loves those vintage LL jackets, he started collecting them and made a business out of it (reselling them in Japan) but of course the number of available vintage jackets is limited so he started making his own.

I’m not a leather jacket historian though and I don’t really care if a given design is one hundred or one year old, as long as it looks good and is well made, so happy to be corrected in anything I’ve said above.

 

[nyarkies]

I thought LL was willing to have the option of no logo patch if you specify it. I read it here previously and I think I may have asked directly as well.

 

[MickeyPunch]

I thought LL was willing to have the option of no logo patch if you specify it. I read it here previously and I think I may have asked directly as well.

At some point they did, yes, but the option was removed from the website and the last thing I’ve read is that they won’t remove it.

 

[MickeyPunch]

I just realised I might have sounded somewhat dismissive of Lewis Leathers, and that was definitely not my intention. The mere existence of these "copycats" are a testament of the great stuff they've made.

It's just that I think they're way off base with their decision to not allow to remove the logo. I won't pretend to know anything about running a business, but instead of trying to differentiate my brand from copycats via a logo I'd try to ask myself why anyone would prefer the copy. Is it price? Not really, some of these copies are more expensive than the original. Is it the fit/pattern? They tried to address that with their (Japan-only?) "tight fit" (which is still kinda boxy). Is it quality/materials? Maybe try to release a premium version with Shinki leather or whatever and charge £XXX more.

Maybe it's something else that you can't do anything about like import duties, the Japanese preferring Japan-made stuff or whatever, but certainly forcing the logo upon your customers is not going to fix any of the above. At best you hear people saying "I've come to accept it" but I doubt most really like it, it's more like they can live with it.

So yes I think they kind of overreacted and the "British Perfecto" they made (again, with the info I have which might very well be incorrect), whilst not a replica, makes me think of them like Apple/Jobs when they stole the GUI and mouse inventions from Xerox and then got mad that Microsoft copied them (this led to the famous Bill Gates quote "I think it's more like we both had this rich neighbor named Xerox and I broke into his house to steal the TV set and found out that you had already stolen it"). But yes these brands might have just made some small tweaks to the design like LL did and the debate would be over, there was really no need for 1:1 designs.

So again, despite of my thoughts of the current owners being wrong about a business decision, it's a great company no doubt and you just have to see a few fit pics from @MrProper to realise how cool the stuff they make is (minus the logo!).

 

[troika]

 

[nyarkies]

I just realised I might have sounded somewhat dismissive of Lewis Leathers, and that was definitely not my intention. The mere existence of these "copycats" are a testament of the great stuff they've made.

It's just that I think they're way off base with their decision to not allow to remove the logo. I won't pretend to know anything about running a business, but instead of trying to differentiate my brand from copycats via a logo I'd try to ask myself why anyone would prefer the copy. Is it price? Not really, some of these copies are more expensive than the original. Is it the fit/pattern? They tried to address that with their (Japan-only?) "tight fit" (which is still kinda boxy). Is it quality/materials? Maybe try to release a premium version with Shinki leather or whatever and charge £XXX more.

Maybe it's something else that you can't do anything about like import duties, the Japanese preferring Japan-made stuff or whatever, but certainly forcing the logo upon your customers is not going to fix any of the above. At best you hear people saying "I've come to accept it" but I doubt most really like it, it's more like they can live with it.

So yes I think they kind of overreacted and the "British Perfecto" they made (again, with the info I have which might very well be incorrect), whilst not a replica, makes me think of them like Apple/Jobs when they stole the GUI and mouse inventions from Xerox and then got mad that Microsoft copied them (this led to the famous Bill Gates quote "I think it's more like we both had this rich neighbor named Xerox and I broke into his house to steal the TV set and found out that you had already stolen it"). But yes these brands might have just made some small tweaks to the design like LL did and the debate would be over, there was really no need for 1:1 designs.

So again, despite of my thoughts of the current owners being wrong about a business decision, it's a great company no doubt and you just have to see a few fit pics from @MrProper to realise how cool the stuff they make is (minus the logo!).

Honestly, I think a good compromise would be to sew that label inside the jacket where the internal pockets are located. Maybe, one can ask again if they have completely refused the option. For as long as I have remembered visiting their website, I've never seen the option for no logo patch. I assumed it was always on a request basis when finalizing the order.

 

[MickeyPunch]

Honestly, I think a good compromise would be to sew that label inside the jacket where the internal pockets are located. Maybe, one can ask again if they have completely refused the option. For as long as I have remembered visiting their website, I've never seen the option for no logo patch. I assumed it was always on a request basis when finalizing the order.

To be honest I haven’t asked but I did read in Fedora Lounge that they no longer offer that option.

 

[sinnedk]

Really none of the makers we discuss here are branding much.

While i understand why LL would care the reality is their target audience doesn’t give AF about the logo, do you see Rick or Carol or Schott with giant logos?

 

[RedVelvetWounds]

I just realised I might have sounded somewhat dismissive of Lewis Leathers, and that was definitely not my intention.

If you're not dismissive of them then I will be. I hate brands who smear their logo **** over all their products so much.

Of course that's a bit exaggerated, but man it's just such a slap in the face of an otherwise great looking piece of outerwear.

Really none of the makers we discuss here are branding much.

While i understand why LL would care the reality is their target audience doesn’t give AF about the logo, do you see Rick or Carol or Schott with giant logos?

I think the two lines of stitching in the back of a Rick Owens product is a good middle ground, similar to the stitching of Margiela. It's not so in your face but it's still their own thing that makes the pieces recognizable to people familiar with those brands.

It's always been the unfortunate truth for high end designer labels that logos sell, so I really can't blame anyone, but I sure can be annoyed.

 

[sinnedk]

If you're not dismissive of them then I will be. I hate brands who smear their logo **** over all their products so much.

Of course that's a bit exaggerated, but man it's just such a slap in the face of an otherwise great looking piece of outerwear.



I think the two lines of stitching in the back of a Rick Owens product is a good middle ground, similar to the stitching of Margiela. It's not so in your face but it's still their own thing that makes the pieces recognizable to people familiar with those brands.

It's always been the unfortunate truth for high end designer labels that logos sell, so I really can't blame anyone, but I sure can be annoyed.

What two lines are you referring to?

 

[verver]

I have the fcl Tyler/Tylor and can confirm length is fine

 

[suedefetish]

curious if anyone knows who makes gladhand/old crow jackets

 

[RedVelvetWounds]

What two lines are you referring to?

 

[nyarkies]

BBS has that hanging tag on the back for his outerwear. I could do without that honestly. Sometimes people think it's something that can be pulled and have tried with my jackets/coat. Incarnation has small inconspicuous studs at the bottom of the jacket and branding on the zipper pulls.

A unique zipper pull is another way of branding without being in-your-face about it. Besides from the obvious design aesthetics of the garment, a few of them have implemented it.

 

[sinnedk]

View attachment 2062839

need to check if any of my RO have that