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Fivestar Leather Jacket inspired by Amelia Earhart

MrProper

Well-Known Member
In order to shorten the waiting time for my Aero, I now read all possible posts about leather jackets and stumbled of the nice thread <https://www.vintageleatherjackets.o...light-jacket-reproduction-the-aviatrix.19470/> from Skyhawk (thanks for that) and thought, why not try something like that?
Since I also came across @Shawn Ali from FivestarLeather in this forum, I simply asked if he could make me a jacket like this. This should sweeten the time until the Aero is delivered.
So I can see whether I like jackets like A-1, A-2 etc. at all.
Unfortunately, my body measurements are not compatible for off-the-rack clothing, which is why I have to customize, at least if things are supposed to fit. And Fivestar Leather fully customize jackets.

Anyhow, my custom „inspired by Amelia Earhart“ or „Tribute to Amelia Earhart“ jacket is on the way and I hope I will receive it next week.
C95ED42B-992A-44E0-8BD9-0C68F1686FA0.jpeg
 

Kennyz

Well-Known Member
Looks like tons of grain on the jacket, MrProper.

Ken

In order to shorten the waiting time for my Aero, I now read all possible posts about leather jackets and stumbled of the nice thread <https://www.vintageleatherjackets.o...light-jacket-reproduction-the-aviatrix.19470/> from Skyhawk (thanks for that) and thought, why not try something like that?
Since I also came across @Shawn Ali from FivestarLeather in this forum, I simply asked if he could make me a jacket like this. This should sweeten the time until the Aero is delivered.
So I can see whether I like jackets like A-1, A-2 etc. at all.


Unfortunately, my body measurements are not compatible for off-the-rack clothing, which is why I have to customize, at least if things are supposed to fit. And Fivestar Leather fully customize jackets.

Anyhow, my custom „inspired by Amelia Earhart“ or „Tribute to Amelia Earhart“ jacket is on the way and I hope I will receive it next week.
View attachment 30659
 

MrProper

Well-Known Member
Quite possible.
The original photo is not of the best quality. I used a filter to see more details.
When the jacket is there, I take better pictures.
Since the capeskin by fivestar is made of lamb (and is therefore something different from capeskin from 1930), I decided to use thick goatskin.

At first I thought I would like the jacket made of horse hide. But goatskin is more like the original. Let's see if that was a good decision.
 

MrProper

Well-Known Member
Looks like two prime makers invested a lot in R&D to produce a historical jacket, displayed every little details in all these posts...and now a low cost Co. just took advantage and copied it all. Unfair....Sad...


I can understand these concerns, but I think they are unfounded in this case.
The jacket is far from being a faithful reproduction. Hence more "inspired by".
The target groups addressed are certainly fundamentally different.
Someone who wants reproductions as close to the original as possible will not buy this jacket. and vice versa it should be similar.
I emailed Fivestar photos of the original jacket that are freely available on the Internet and asked whether a "look alike" with my measurements is possible.
It is quite possible that this thread is not well placed in this forum, because it is neither a reproduction nor a vintage.
 

zoomer

Well-Known Member
There are either degrees of faithfulness and authenticity in a product or there are not. I would say there are, and that that's fine. I guess Pilot would say there shouldn't be - go for 100% or don't mess with it.
 

Pilot

Well-Known Member
Pilot would say... dont forge, dont be second, dont fake, dont put feathers of others onto your head...be yourself.. inovate... create... generate...
...Think about your kids and what you transmit to them...
Sorry, thats what pilot would say...
 

Technonut2112

Well-Known Member
Pilot would say... dont forge, dont be second, dont fake, dont put feathers of others onto your head...be yourself.. inovate... create... generate...
...Think about your kids and what you transmit to them...
Sorry, thats what pilot would say...


Using that logic, the original should not have been copied by any other maker as well. What about Cockpit's version? That one was made before Headwind's, and is their take on AE's jacket:


We wouldn't have much choice in the vintage repro jacket world if copies and variations of originals were not made, would we?
 

Skyhawk

Well-Known Member
Thanks guys, I appreciate the acknowledgement on all my hard work and research that went into the Earhart reproduction. It has been a long road with a whole lot of discoveries along the way. Over the 5 years or so of compiling photos and documents, I feel that I have achieved the closest possible reproduction of her favorite flight jacket. I love the history and all of the information found during the research. It was very enjoyable for me.

I am not really concerned with a cheap knock off version. From what I can see, it's not even close. As for the ethics, well it's nothing new and I was expecting this.

There will always be people who will be satisfied with a Rolax. Others who insist on top quality will always turn to the real deal and get a Rolex.

Best Regards,
Jay
 

dinomartino1

Well-Known Member
The OP said he asked five star to make him a custom jacket and they did what is unethical about that.
I think the ire has been raised by mentioning I saw Skyhawks jacket and that gave me the idea, if somebody wants a lower cost jacket based on a famous 1930s jacket thats their choice.
I am a big fan of Skyhawks and his emphasis on 1930s jackets.
Headwind will make jackets to your size requirements the other high quality repro flight jacket makers will only alter the arm and jacket length if they actually will alter anything.
 
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MrProper

Well-Known Member
Sorry guys, let's not make a tempest out of a teapot.
It's honorable that you assist your buddy, but I can't quite understand the outrage.

There is a thread from Skyhawk advertising a campaign to fund a women's model based on the original. The campaign (2016) was unsuccessful and it does not appear that anything beyond the prototype is being marketed seriously. But I may be wrong.
This thread contains images that can be found in large numbers and different sources using Google Image Search.
The remaining pages of the thread deal with research on the original manufacturer and how the label looked and where an original could still be seen. Everything irrelevant for me personally. So I don't see why I could have benefited from the details of this thread.

Nevertheless, I am grateful for this thread, because I discovered the image of the original jacket, which inspired me. To make it clear: it was not the picture of the prototype of Skyhawk which inspired me.
My wish was to get a copy (not necessarily 1: 1) of the original according to my measurements. Explicitly: I didn't want a copy of a copy.
All this quickly and with a manageable investment, since I have no idea whether I like this type of jacket and I don't want to wait long.

I was glad to have found a manufacturer here in the forum who can produce something very quickly and easily according to my measurements. Admittedly, I didn't do any further research to see who else made everything to measure. I know that many only adjust in length.
The manufacturer got the picture of the original jacket from me and some other pictures that can be found in a few minutes if you master Google Image Search. So it was not the order to make a copy of the copy, but to make a copy of the original.

If this is unethical, ok, call me unethical.
But please don't blame the manufacturer. It is not his fault.

If every established jacket manufacturer can/is allowed to copy originals, why should an aspiring, motivated and very committed new market participant not?
And to make this clear: it is not a question of thousands of jackets of this type flooding the market. It's about a single jacket and maybe a few more if someone else feels the need for such a jacket.

My mistake was probably in mentioning the thread of Skyhawk and thanking for it.
Or maybe it's just my bad English, which makes me misunderstand some things or I phrase wrong (sorry for that).
Maybe also elitist thinking here in the forum.

If there is still interest, I would continue to report. Otherwise I withdraw and only read.
 

ButteMT61

Well-Known Member
Bottom line after years and many of these sorts of things, I'd say this to anyone looking to make jackets and carve out some income for you and yours.
Don't post any details of your work unless you're OK with it being copied sometime down the road.

Some roads are shorter than others, but that's what I'd advise anyone here moving forward.
We've seen more than one maker get hosed and I hate it every time.
If you're cool with others coming in and looking at your homework, then go for it. Just don't be surprised if you see your answers on someone else's test.
 

MrProper

Well-Known Member
Unfortunately I have to wait with acceptably photos, because the jacket is on the way back to the manufacturer, so that a modification can be made.
All dimensions have been perfectly observed but there was a misunderstanding about the waist size, which will fixed.


I only have a bad photo with little to see.

The leather is heavy (4.4 lbs) and thick (1.2-1.3 mm). According to the manufacturer semi vegetable tanned goatskin in seal brown (almost black). Lining is a brown heavy cotton drill.
I think it will take some time before it is break in.
But I like it very much. I am not a leather jacket professional, but I would recommend this jacket.
30974


more when the jacket is back with me.
 

busdrivermike

Well-Known Member
that looks nicely put together,
I’m about to send a jacket to Shawn at five star in a week or two
To be remade/copied in my size, it’s from the late 50s or 60s by British cycle leathers
 
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Skyhawk

Well-Known Member
Bottom line after years and many of these sorts of things, I'd say this to anyone looking to make jackets and carve out some income for you and yours.
Don't post any details of your work unless you're OK with it being copied sometime down the road.

Some roads are shorter than others, but that's what I'd advise anyone here moving forward.
We've seen more than one maker get hosed and I hate it every time.
If you're cool with others coming in and looking at your homework, then go for it. Just don't be surprised if you see your answers on someone else's test.

Let's just call it the cliff notes version of the essay question on the test. You always miss things when you are not the one who did the studying,

Just from the one pic I can see that it is the wrong color, wrong zipper, and is that pressed leather? I don't see much variation in that grain.

Like I said before, I not too worried about a budget version of this jacket being made. Don't expect me to get too excited when it turns out all wrong in the details and materials. You can't expect too much in the way of authenticity when you pay bargain basement prices.
 
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