Why so few American makers?

[TrainDriver]

I know both sides of WW2 and both sides of the pond manufactured leather flight jackets. However, I think it is safe to say that the brown leather flight jacket, or pretty much any brown leather jacket is seen as an American style. A2 flight jackets, Indiana Jones type jackets, even Fonzie are all icons of American fashion.

But…
Eastman Leather is English
Aero Leather is Scottish
Avi Leather is Danish
Five Star is German
Bill Kelso is English
Buzz Rickson might be Japanese?

Why is this?

 

[leper-colony]

US:
Good Wear
Dave Sheeley
norshorleatherjackets.com
Steve Sellers

 

[mulceber]

Bill Kelso is English

Greek. I'm told there's some English ownership, but all the work is done in Greece - and done very well.

Buzz Rickson might be Japanese?

Definitely Japanese. Same with Real McCoy.

Five Star is German

Nope. Pakistani.

But as @leper-colony said, several great American manufacturers. I'd throw in Himel Bros., which is Canadian. Not U.S. American, but they should be part of the conversation.

 

[TrainDriver]

I was just looking at the mailing addresses on their various sites.

 

[mulceber]

That's fair, gotta start somewhere. I'm just correcting some errors. But as @leper-colony pointed out, you missed some VERY heavy hitters who are American.

 

[leper-colony]

JA Dubow as well, if they start taking orders again great price point. Not US.

 

[coolhandluke]

US:
Good Wear
Dave Sheeley
norshorleatherjackets.com
Steve Sellers

+1

The quadfecta...

 

[ZuZu]

I know both sides of WW2 and both sides of the pond manufactured leather flight jackets. However, I think it is safe to say that the brown leather flight jacket, or pretty much any brown leather jacket is seen as an American style. A2 flight jackets, Indiana Jones type jackets, even Fonzie are all icons of American fashion.

But…
Eastman Leather is English
Aero Leather is Scottish
Avi Leather is Danish
Five Star is German
Bill Kelso is English
Buzz Rickson might be Japanese?

Why is this?

The WW2 American airman just had the coolest stuff, the coolest look. It became iconic for our new fawning European vassals and especially ironically in Japan with all of its cultural offshoots. I too don't quite understand the British obsession (albeit in a tiny portion of the population)- it was enough of a thing to get the ball rolling for actual reproductions back in the 80s. In America we had Avirex crap. So really it's the Brits who got us to where we are today in jacketeering- Ken Calder and Gary Eastman. Them plus the weird specific, detailed Japanese ideal.

 

[FlakMagnet]

it’s barely mentioned here, but Lost Worlds and US Authentic are made in the US

 

[Micawber]

The WW2 American airman just had the coolest stuff, the coolest look. It became iconic for our new fawning European vassals and especially ironically in Japan with all of its cultural offshoots. I too don't quite understand the British obsession (albeit in a tiny portion of the population)- it was enough of a thing to get the ball rolling for actual reproductions back in the 80s. In America we had Avirex crap. So really it's the Brits who got us to where we are today in jacketeering- Ken Calder and Gary Eastman. Them plus the weird specific, detailed Japanese ideal.

I think the wider history of the short leather jacket style is worth a separate thread as there are examples of same being worn by us “fawning European vassals” pre WW2 - ie pre 1939 - but I do not wish to derail this particular thread.

 

[FreddyF9]

I think the wider history of the short leather jacket style is worth a separate thread as there are examples of same being worn by us “fawning European vassals” pre WW2 - ie pre 1939 - but I do not wish to derail this particular thread.

Totally agree.
Even the legendary B-3 (one of the coolest jacket design of all time IMO) in his early days was almost a carbon copy of the British Irvin jackets.

 

[entertainment]

Totally agree.
Even the legendary B-3 (one of the coolest jacket design of all time IMO) in his early days was almost a carbon copy of the British Irvin jackets.

Ironically, Leslie Irvin was an American.

Leslie L. Irvin - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Southoftheborder]

I think the wider history of the short leather jacket style is worth a separate thread as there are examples of same being worn by us “fawning European vassals” pre WW2 - ie pre 1939 - but I do not wish to derail this particular thread.

Yes the premise in the OP is not correct. The A2 was an American style, but brown leather jackets were worn all over long before that became a standard. WW1 flight jackets were brown, British pre war short leather sporting jackets were brown, as were the French cycling jackets that the German pilots bought to use as flying jackets in WW11 when they occupied France.

In fact black leather jackets were fairly uncommon before the beginning of fifties and most civilian leather coats and jackets until then were brown. Brown leather jackets were pretty fashionable in the UK and continental Europe and worldwide pre war, and many men and women wore them. They were by no means purely an American style.

 

[John Lever]

I think Hollywood and its version of 'History ' might be a factor.

 

[Pilot]

Yes the premise in the OP is not correct. The A2 was an American style, but brown leather jackets were worn all over long before that became a standard. WW1 flight jackets were brown, British pre war short leather sporting jackets were brown, as were the French cycling jackets that the German pilots bought to use as flying jackets in WW11 when they occupied France.

In fact black leather jackets were fairly uncommon before the beginning of fifties and most civilian leather coats and jackets until then were brown. Brown leather jackets were pretty fashionable in the UK and continental Europe and worldwide pre war, and many men and women wore them. They were by no means purely an American style.

Well said! 100% agree!

 

[FreddyF9]

Ironically, Leslie Irvin was an American.

Leslie L. Irvin - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Well, thank you for the info.
We never stop learning, I guess!

 

[Marc mndt]

Greek. I'm told there's some English ownership, but all the work is done in Greece - and done very well.

There's 0 evidence that BK jackets are actually produced in Greece.

 

[mulceber]

There's 0 evidence that BK jackets are actually produced in Greece.

• Their flagship leather is produced in the EU.
• They're always shipped from the Piraeus, just outside of Athens.
• When I had to have a jacket repaired by them, I was likewise told to ship it to an address in the Piraeus.
• Andy has said that the jackets are made in Greece.
• Andy has talked to me about how it's getting harder to find skilled workers in Athens.
• Andy has posted patriotic quotes in ancient Greek on BK's social media - iirc, it was during the bailout in the Global Economic Crisis, when tensions with the EU, particularly Germany, were high, and Andy posted an untranslated quote from Herodotus about how the Athenians would always choose their freedom over money.

If you call that "0 evidence," then I think you're entering the realm of conspiracy theory. They're made in Greece.

 

[Marc mndt]

I've discussed this many times with Theodoros from Thedi leathers.

I think it's fair to assume that Theodoros (who's actually from Greece and has been in the leather jacket business since the late 70s ) knows who is who at least in Greece but most likely also in larger parts of Europe as he sources his leather from various European tanneries.

As you can imagine Theodoros was curious to know about Bill Kelso since they claim to produce their jackets in Greece. So he contacted them, asking them for an address of their workshop or at least the name of someone from their workshop who speaks Greek. There was no one to talk to and no address was given.

Theodoros has been in the business since '79 and he never heard of any other manufacturer of (high end) leather jackets that operates within his small country. BK producing jackets in Greece is a myth.

That BK'S flagship leather (Victoria horsehide?) is produced in the EU doesn't mean anything. Aero's flagship leather (Horween) is produced in Chicago IL but I'm certain their jackets are produced in Galashiels

If I buy a Schott Perfecto here in Europe it will be shipped from France. That doesn't mean the jacket was made in France.

 

[mulceber]

I've discussed this many times with Theodoros from Thedi leathers.

I think it's fair to assume that Theodoros (who's actually from Greece and has been in the leather jacket business since the late 70s ) knows who is who at least in Greece but most likely also in larger parts of Europe as he sources his leather from various European tanneries.

As you can imagine Theodoros was curious to know about Bill Kelso since they claim to produce their jackets in Greece. So he contacted them, asking them for an address of their workshop or at least the name of someone from their workshop who speaks Greek. There was no one to talk to and no address was given.

So you're telling me that one of their competitors found them stand-offish and uninterested in palling around with him?

Look, I'll be blunt, I don't find that surprising, especially given BK's long and well-documented track record of having sharp elbows. I don't find it persuasive in the face of the much greater body of evidence for them being located in Greece.