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

[Benesyed]

I've been trying to get an id on this one for a minute. Does anyone know? I thought maybe Belstaff, but I swear I've looked through hundreds of their jackets and haven't found it.

Could be Giorgio brato or maybe an over designed varvatos

 

[Lorcan7]

I got an Aero Indian Ranger in their factory sale earlier this week. tumbled CXL. Has that short, '50s-style fit that I'm sure some of you guys hate. And is little big on me. Think I'm going to hang on to it though, layer a knit under it for winter, maybe custom order one at some point that's a little more dialed in in the chest/body. Oh and I cut the epaulets off

 

[steveoffice]

looks great!

 

[patrick_b]

Vanson has their own appeal in their "Competition Weight" hide, I hear. But I went ahead with Lewis for their slimmer profile. I expect it'll look very sleek with the rather minimalistic design of the Corsair.

That's part of the problem, I went with the Firenze leather and it's just kind of boring.

I got an Aero Indian Ranger in their factory sale earlier this week. tumbled CXL. Has that short, '50s-style fit that I'm sure some of you guys hate. And is little big on me. Think I'm going to hang on to it though, layer a knit under it for winter, maybe custom order one at some point that's a little more dialed in in the chest/body. Oh and I cut the epaulets off

View attachment 1228573

Looks good. Would love to hear about the Aero Open House. Sounds like it would be fun.

 

[Lorcan7]

Got it in the subsequent online sale rather than the actual open house day last weekend. Probably a nice trip to make though, I was tempted but its about 7-8hrs away from me driving/ on the train.

 

[HalfwayBurnt]

Got it in the subsequent online sale rather than the actual open house day last weekend.

The Aero online sale following the open house on-location only handled stock left over from the in-store sale. I'm yet to hear from someone who visited in person, but I'd imagine the selection is better in person.

If you're not a fan of Aero's boxier torso cuts, you may want to take a look at their "Premier" line for your custom jacket down the line. The jacket pattern is allegedly much slimmer throughout, with a more fitted appearance than Aero's other offerings. I've ordered one myself.

I must say though, the Tumbled CXL looks very good! Much more uniform grain than I expected.

That's part of the problem, I went with the Firenze leather and it's just kind of boring.

A shame to hear you're not a fan; I haven't heard much about the Firenze hide from Vanson. My Aero jacket is being made in their CXL FQHH, and I'd be interested to see how the heavyweight hide from Vanson stacks up...

 

[patrick_b]

The Aero online sale following the open house on-location only handled stock left over from the in-store sale. I'm yet to hear from someone who visited in person, but I'd imagine the selection is better in person.

If you're not a fan of Aero's boxier torso cuts, you may want to take a look at their "Premier" line for your custom jacket down the line. The jacket pattern is allegedly much slimmer throughout, with a more fitted appearance than Aero's other offerings. I've ordered one myself.

I must say though, the Tumbled CXL looks very good! Much more uniform grain than I expected.



A shame to hear you're not a fan; I haven't heard much about the Firenze hide from Vanson. My Aero jacket is being made in their CXL FQHH, and I'd be interested to see how the heavyweight hide from Vanson stacks up...

Vanson's heavyweight competition hide is beautiful and ages wonderfully from what I've seen. Competition hide is similar in weight to Aero's CXL FQHH but nothing looks as good as CXL after broken in.

I later read about Vanson's other mid-weight hides, X150 (or maybe Z150?). It seemed too shiny for my liking but it turns out it breaks in wonderfully and loses that sheen relatively quickly. That may be an option one day down the road.

I found Aero CXL FQHH a bit heavy for my taste so I sold my CR in that hide and replaced it with a board racer in dark seal Vicenza. It's lovely stuff for my needs. Also ended up with a black/tea core RMC Buco J100 in shinki which I feel is as perfect as it gets in terms of aging properties/timeliness and hide/jacket weight. Shinki looks great in very short order (shows grain and sleeve creasing) and feels great immediately. IMO it's really magical stuff for the moto/workwear vintage inspired look. Since my jacket tastes fall in that category, it's the best choice for me.

This shinki jacket is only a few months old and has seen very little wear outside because of the heat but I've been wearing it a lot indoors and while driving to knock some of the new off it. I'm amazed at how quickly it shows wear.

 

[HalfwayBurnt]

I found Aero CXL FQHH a bit heavy for my taste so I sold my CR in that hide

I'm yet to see a jacket in CXL FQHH in person, and also share fears that the hide will be too heavy/cumbersome. Seeing as I have some jackets in lighter cowhide and lambskin, however, and intending the Aero for Winter season, I figured I would take the chance and see what all the fuss was about.

As I'm sure you know, the folks over at the Fedora Lounge are adamant proponents of the CXL. I've heard many war stories regarding breaking CXl HH in, so I'm fully prepared for the incoming struggle.

This shinki jacket is only a few months old

That shinki horsehide looks gorgeous. Has it really only been lightly worn? It appears to be gaining a beautiful patina already!

I had a chance to purchase an RMC in Shinki secondhand, but declined as the measurements weren't to my liking. Your jacket is making me wish I went ahead and bought it just for the hide; it looks absolutely great.

 

[FrankCowperwood]

@Lorcan7 that jacket looks great. Fit looks right for the style and "vintage."

 

[patrick_b]

That shinki horsehide looks gorgeous. Has it really only been lightly worn? It appears to be gaining a beautiful patina already!

Thanks, it's really amazing stuff. I've been wearing it while driving and I'm actually behind the wheel a lot for work so its worked out great. Note, the ridiculousness is not lost on me...guy in his 40's wearing and breaking in a motorcycle jacket in my vehicle, in the dead of summer with the AC cranked.

 

[ctttt777]

My aero also arrived today, it's a hooch hauler of black lightweight CXL horsehide, I can feel it's much thinner though not much lighter, still rather heavy. The chest is a bit too small though I think it's fine. I really love their back gusset, reminds me of the design in some classic menswear jacket.

 

[HalfwayBurnt]

My Lewis Leathers no. 60 "Corsair" arrived this morning! The turnaround after ordering was approximately five weeks. Originally inquiring about the jacket, I was quoted a turnaround of 2~4 weeks, so I'm still very satisfied with the promptness of production for a custom garment.

I inquired again about the status around the fourth week, and was told the delay may be due to me excluding a height measurement. I went ahead and supplied the measurement, and was told they'd hopefully deliver it in the next couple of weeks; a week after that, it's in my hands.

So, here it is fresh out of the box:

Front

• HalfwayBurnt
• Aug 23, 2019

Back

• HalfwayBurnt
• Aug 23, 2019

Label / Collar

• HalfwayBurnt
• Aug 23, 2019

Side Buckles

• HalfwayBurnt
• Aug 23, 2019

Shoulder / Collar

• HalfwayBurnt
• Aug 23, 2019

I selected their "slim cut" variant, as I've seen some fit pictures of LL that appear far too boxy in their cut for me. I wanted a very fitted jacket for Spring or Fall seasons, to be worn with a thin shirt underneath, and heard of Lewis Leathers offering a slimmer cut jacket as one of their options, so I went ahead and pulled the trigger. This jacket was made in their sheepskin, as I hear it is closest to the hide used on Lewis jackets in decades prior.

Upon arrival, the jacket was very neatly packaged with care as to not deform the collar, and came with a hand-written note for me - a nice touch, I thought. I left the jacket to hang and straighten out, and then immediately tried it on like a giddy child; the fit was immaculate.

Now, my bodyweight tends to fluctuate due to training, so I'm currently 6~8lb heavier than when I gave Lewis Leathers my measurements. The jacket was admittedly tough to slip on at first, but the fit was perfect once on. The sleeve length was dead on for me, and the diameter of the sleeves were perfectly hugging my arms, as well. Bending my elbow causes some resistance, and very aesthetically pleasing leather creasing in the arms, but the sheepskin is pliant enough to allow movement, and I expect it will only conform to me better with wear. I'm very happy with the fit, despite a slight increase in my measurements between ordering and receiving.

I'm very happy with the sheepskin, as well. I didn't know what to expect, as I've heard it can be "fragile" as a jacket hide - but of course most leather could be considered fragile in relativity to CXL HH, or equivalent leathers. In the flesh, it has a very distinctive grain to it, with a slight sheen. Although it feels light in the hand, it is very tough, and feels as though it could withstand a beating. It is definitely a more durable leather than lambskin, but has some similarly pleasing textural qualities.

The lining is their quilted cotton, and feels heavy-duty. The hardware is nice, and although there are some occasional deviations from a perfect straight line on some of the details - such as the zipper, pockets, etc. - there is no sloppy or loose threading anywhere on the jacket.

Overall, it's one of the best leather jackets I've seen in person, and I'm absolutely thrilled with it. The folks over at Lewis were responsive and very easy to work with as well, and answered many obsessive questions about minute specifications prior to me actually ordering. I think they did a great job.

 

[RXS09]

I'm yet to see a jacket in CXL FQHH in person, and also share fears that the hide will be too heavy/cumbersome. Seeing as I have some jackets in lighter cowhide and lambskin, however, and intending the Aero for Winter season, I figured I would take the chance and see what all the fuss was about.

As I'm sure you know, the folks over at the Fedora Lounge are adamant proponents of the CXL. I've heard many war stories regarding breaking CXl HH in, so I'm fully prepared for the incoming struggle.



That shinki horsehide looks gorgeous. Has it really only been lightly worn? It appears to be gaining a beautiful patina already!

I had a chance to purchase an RMC in Shinki secondhand, but declined as the measurements weren't to my liking. Your jacket is making me wish I went ahead and bought it just for the hide; it looks absolutely great.

It's not that bad. The leather is heavy, but as long as it actually fits it will break in quickly with no issues

 

[HalfwayBurnt]

It's not that bad. The leather is heavy, but as long as it actually fits it will break in quickly with no issues

I've heard people describe it as "cardboard," but I've also seen photos of well-worn examples draping like butter. Seems like you just have to wear it in until it's somewhat supple, and then it'll be no issue.

 

[Lorcan7]

Corsair looks great. Like the grain.

I was surprised how comfortable my Aero is but I guess that's the tumbled stuff, not stiff enough to stand up on its own. And it'd been tried on a few times before I got it (but not really broken in). The tumbled grain is more pronounced in the back panel and some of the less visible areas (under the collar, underarms, windflap). I dig it.

I forgot to mention this is their 'old' Indian Ranger, Aero updated it to be a more accurate repro last year, so some of the details are different.