The Leather Jacket: A menswear Staple

WORDS: Kaan Tavli - National Brand Manager - Urbbana PHOTOGRAPHY Supplied

• What’s the history of leather jackets in fashion?

With the first leather contemporary leather jacket dating back to the late 1920’s, it’s safe to say this menswear staple has come a long way. Few menswear garments come packaged with as much masculinity, history and attitude as a leather jacket. Outside of the suit, a leather jacket will be one of the biggest investments a guy will make in his wardrobe.

• How do you style a leather jacket (dressing up and down)?

The value of a leather truly lies in its versatility. Whether you opt to style your jacket with a printed shirt for a more eccentric look, or a plain white turtle neck for a day in the office –  you really cant go too wrong. One piece of advice: If you choose a style with a distinctive look and design, try not too compete with it – let your leather jacket do the talking and take the attention of your outfit by keeping your other garments more minimal in design.

• In your experience, how long does a leather jacket last?

Leather jackets can truly last a lifetime if taken care of properly. It’s a piece a gentleman can expect to hand down to his children.

• What is the number one thing to look for when buying a leather jacket?

The quality of the leather & stitching.

A good rule of thumb to follow is: Stay away from corrected leather. This tends to be found with cheaper jackets under $500, and consists of sanding down the natural scaring of the animal hide. Corrected leather also consists of faux leather grains being pressed into it, as well as extra spraying of dyes and treatments to make them more uniform. When it comes to a good quality leather jacket, you’ll usually have two skins to choose from: Cow leather and Lambskin. The difference? both great quality skins to have in your wardrobe, although there’s an unbelievable softness to lambskin that makes for more comfortable wearing for our Brisbane climate.

Stitching is what I consider the skeleton of a good quality leather jacket. Designers can cut cost by using regular, thin thread and limiting the amount of top stitching on a garment. High-end leather jackets will instead use a thick Guttermann thread in the manufacturing process. The quality of stitching on a leather jacket should never be overlooked!

• What leather jackets do you offer?

Simply an essential piece for every gentleman’s wardrobe. Our luxurious lambskin leather jacket collection provides a lightweight and smooth feel, making the garment an easy wearing piece throughout the majority of weather seasons. This collection has been 12 months in the making, consisting of 8 unique styles designed in Brisbane, and handmade in Turkey. Each style has only 10 quantities every made, making it truly a unique piece you won’t likely see anywhere!

www.urbbana.com.au

Store addresses: 106 Edward Street, Brisbane City QLD 4000 & 7/39 Hercules Street, Portside Wharf, Hamilton QLD 4007