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Amelia Earhart leather trench?

dannianna

New Member
I’ve been looking everywhere for one of these and been duped twice by glossy webpages...

Do you know of anyone currently making these or who would take on a custom build?
19922
 

Smithy

Well-Known Member
This coat is a standard aviator's/motoring coat from the 20s and 30s. They were very common and popular for wearing when flying or driving.

You could easily find a similar original on eBay or suchlike, price obviously dependent upon condition. There are a number of companies who make replicas of these coats, albeit with slightly different detailing. Aero Leather make their "Barnstormer" model which I have and cannot rave enough about, it's such a good looking coat and surprisingly practical. Eastman do the very nice "Brooklands" as well although it's not what you'd call a bargain. US Authentic have a coat called "The Racer Coat" and this one has the slightly longer length lapels as Earhart's one does above.

There's other crowds doing similar coats but those should get you started.
 

Ken at Aero Leather

Well-Known Member
Aero are in the early. stages of reproducing the Flying Coat worn by Amelia Earhart's flying instructor, Neta Snook Southern, overe the decades I've seen and handled hundreds of early Motoring and Flying Coats and I can't recall ever seeing on I liked better.................and amazing "Back Story", so important these days

Neta Snook Southern _kinner_field_1921.jpg


Last month we made two similar (but shorter) coats for the crew of a Blower Bentley doing the Peking to Paris Rally, I wish I'd seen the pic above before we did those two
I'm determined to have the NSS Coat online by the Autumn as I want one ready for my personal use as a Dog Walking coat this Winter
I'm amazed how similar Neta's coat is to the (horrendously expensive) Flying Coats my old "Ruskin" label produced in 1971-72, the only thing I think we'll change will be to drop the epaulettes
 
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fleet16b

Well-Known Member
As the Aerial Coordinator for the movie 'Amelia' , the Prod Co had Belstaff Leathers make myself and the star exact replicas of the jacket AE is wearing in the picture. They are really nice but a very dated design by todays standards . Belstaff went on to sell versions of it but last time I looked they were more than $1500 us . Not sure if they still offer them or not
 

B-Man2

Well-Known Member
As the Aerial Coordinator for the movie 'Amelia' , the Prod Co had Belstaff Leathers make myself and the star exact replicas of the jacket AE is wearing in the picture. They are really nice but a very dated design by todays standards . Belstaff went on to sell versions of it but last time I looked they were more than $1500 us . Not sure if they still offer them or not
That’s a cool post !
Aerial coordinator for the movie... pretty impressive stuff. Once again always amazed at the skill sets of the people on this forum.
Thanks for posting.
 

zoomer

Well-Known Member
Aero are in the early. stages of reproducing the Flying Coat worn by Amelia Earhart's flying instructor, Neta Snook Southern, overe the decades I've seen and handled hundreds of early Motoring and Flying Coats and I can't recall ever seeing on I liked better.................and amazing "Back Story", so important these days
Ken, you have found my hometown heroine! Neta and her sister Vivian both grew up about 6 blocks from me in Ames, IA. Both learned to fly. Vivian and her husband started an aerial photo business locally. (Aerial views come in very handy if one is selling/renting farmland.)
 

Officer Dibley

Well-Known Member
Ken, which hide will you use ? I hope not FQHH .....it would weigh more than most of us here and be sooo stiff in cooler weather that it would be like a suit of armour !
Looking forward to seeing it though regardless of hide

Anyone remember the cheeesey film “High Road To China” with Tom Selleck and the delicious Bess Armstrong ? Movie was awful but the wardrobe awesome.
Dave
 

Ken at Aero Leather

Well-Known Member
Ken, which hide will you use ? I hope not FQHH .....it would weigh more than most of us here and be sooo stiff in cooler weather that it would be like a suit of armour !
Looking forward to seeing it though regardless of hide

Anyone remember the cheeesey film “High Road To China” with Tom Selleck and the delicious Bess Armstrong ? Movie was awful but the wardrobe awesome.
Dave
No CXFQHH!!!!!! That's for sure, possibly Vicenza but I think our Battered Seal Horsehide would be perfect, I wore one of our Work Coats in this leather throughout the worst of last Winter, really comfortable and ages beautifully. The NSS coat will be Blanket Lined
 

dannianna

New Member
Based on the original photo, and with some design elements of other period leather coats, i commissioned Indi Magnoli of Magnoli Clothiers to make this coat. Two months later its come out perfect!
 

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Geeboo

Well-Known Member
It is on my to make list. But I am afraid yours commission is a completely different jkt than Amelia s one [most notably the map chest pocket + dozens of other details] , but I am sure it will look good . : >
 

zoomer

Well-Known Member
Based on the original photo, and with some design elements of other period leather coats, i commissioned Indi Magnoli of Magnoli Clothiers to make this coat. Two months later its come out perfect!
That is one handsome garment!
 

mulceber

Moderator
Based on the original photo, and with some design elements of other period leather coats, i commissioned Indi Magnoli of Magnoli Clothiers to make this coat. Two months later its come out perfect!

I was just about to recommend Magnoli, but you beat me to the punch. That would be a good option as well.
 
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