Nowadays, leather jacket: an imperative piece to any dresser, is pretty much a cultural shorthand for being cool – put it on and your outfit immediately radiates a sharp, bad-boy essence.
Here, a look at how the outerwear icon emerged from protective gear to a modern-day style must-have. With a rich history that spans its incorporation from WWI to its ubiquity among the present-day fashion set, it’s clear to see despite the time period, how leather jacket conserves it’s standing as a symbol of confidence, rebellion, and sex appeal. The history of leather jacket is apparently as old as human civilization. Changes are witnessed in the manufacturing techniques. Also, new technologies are invented for the tannery industry.
From immemorial time animal hides are used when man learned to guard himself against harsh weather situations while clothes were not invented. It is well known that cavemen in prehistoric time clad themselves using animal hides. Hunting of animals carried out for various other purposes apart from getting meat for food. Hunting was a primary medium of fulfilling several purposes such as food, hides to cover the body and to serve various other works as a faithful servant. One can observe various leather clothes including shoes, jackets in Egyptian Pharaohs.
Goat skin, deer skin, and snake skin remain some of the popular hides known to human beings for a long time. First Appearance: 1918 Picture a closet piece like the leather jacket, an ancient style is a little same thinking of your parents being youngsters. Seems impossible? But, the leather jacket, believe it or not, was neither always a classic, and wasn’t eternally either associated with the motorcycle. Fact is, it made its first appearance in the early 1900s upon the spines of pilots. Various members of the military have also been seen with it.According to the book “The Black Leather Jacket” written by Mick Farren, German interceptor pilots during WWI happened to be the first to wear the leather jacket then recognized as the bomber silhouette. Treating as a protective outerwear cover of their military attire against extreme climates. 1928: Presents The ‘Perfecto’A significant turn took place in the year 1928.
When Irving Schott, a Manhattan raincoat maker designed the first motorcycle jacket for the legendary Harley Davidson. The result signified such, function met fashion. Named after a cigar, the jacket was entitled as the “Perfecto”. It was piddly sold for a $5.50. Though impossible to believe in contrast to a celeb-coveted Balenciaga (Spanish fashion designer known for his stark elegant designs) version that goes for $3,000 today! The detail-confronting street vogue was basically a shortened version that chose to adopt a zipper instead of buttons like the aviator jackets that were worn during the war.
