Aero Badalassi Leather - Black

[Salmosalar]

Black badalassi is really a great hide imo - I much prefer it to Vic or CXL. It really develops amazing grain but without “fake” ageing, and is extremely comfortable yet substantial. Here are a few shots of my two black badalassi Aero jackets - a custom J106 / Ridley and a Wayfarer….these are photos when they were pretty new - graining has developed even more since then and badalassi really does seem to get better with age without looking knackered in the process. As others say it also moulds to your body with a decent amount of give despite its thickness, so a great choice for a close fitting pattern like a cafe racer. I have several badalassi and vic jackets and the former is in a totally different league to the latter - just no contest in my view.

 

[BraslinMclaslin]

Black badalassi is really a great hide imo - I much prefer it to Vic or CXL. It really develops amazing grain but without “fake” ageing, and is extremely comfortable yet substantial. Here are a few shots of my two black badalassi Aero jackets - a custom J106 / Ridley and a Wayfarer….these are photos when they were pretty new - graining has developed even more since then and badalassi really does seem to get better with age without looking knackered in the process. As others say it also moulds to your body with a decent amount of give despite its thickness, so a great choice for a close fitting pattern like a cafe racer. I have several badalassi and vic jackets and the former is in a totally different league to the latter - just no contest in my view.

I think i'm gonna order mine with corduroy lined hem too....

 

[Damon141]

Basalassi is vegetable tanned full aniline leather. Unlike the chrome tanned leathers of the 50s it doesn't have a topcoat, therefore it's probably not as water resistant. Unlike the 50s hides it will darken over time.

50s chrome tanned steerhide
View attachment 456525

That is a great jacket. Thanks for the info. Somehow I had it in my mind that many of these old thick vintage jackets were vegetable tanned and the chrome tanned started later in the 1960’s-1970’s where you see that cracked flaky leather which almost looks like vinyl peeling with white underneath, some examples include the later Beck and Brimaco jackets.

I guess that was just a general quality issue from cheaper materials and mass production maybe.
I wonder if the 1930’s and 40’s jackets were still mostly chrome tanned

 

[moktabe]

2 x Badalassi jackets here.

1 x Sheene in Tobacco and 1 x J-106 in black.

It's a beautiful leather, takes shape quite quickly, you won't regret choosing it.

Re squeaking you'll sound like a new sofa for a while however, the more you wear it the quicker it will start to quieten down.

The lighting in the pics isn't the best and it doesn't show the colour of the Tobacco very well, it's a very rich Tobacco with a slight reddish hue to it.

 

[jglf]

That is a great jacket. Thanks for the info. Somehow I had it in my mind that many of these old thick vintage jackets were vegetable tanned and the chrome tanned started later in the 1960’s-1970’s where you see that cracked flaky leather which almost looks like vinyl peeling with white underneath, some examples include the later Beck and Brimaco jackets.

I guess that was just a general quality issue from cheaper materials and mass production maybe.
I wonder if the 1930’s and 40’s jackets were still mostly chrome tanned

It’s my understanding that most leather jackets from the early 1900’s onward were always chrome tanned.

 

[Liveinstyle33]

Basalassi is vegetable tanned full aniline leather. Unlike the chrome tanned leathers of the 50s it doesn't have a topcoat, therefore it's probably not as water resistant. Unlike the 50s hides it will darken over time.

50s chrome tanned steerhide

View attachment 456523 View attachment 456524 View attachment 456525

Nice specimen. That is one cool jacket.

 

[KcM]

My black badalassi Sheene arrived yesterday. Very stiff and shiny and squeaky….but damn does it look good. Break in will take a while I suppose…

 

[Salmosalar]

My black badalassi Sheene arrived yesterday. Very stiff and shiny and squeaky….but damn does it look good. Break in will take a while I suppose… View attachment 457559 View attachment 457560 View attachment 457561

Perfect!!

 

[BraslinMclaslin]

My black badalassi Sheene arrived yesterday. Very stiff and shiny and squeaky….but damn does it look good. Break in will take a while I suppose… View attachment 457559 View attachment 457560 View attachment 457561

Looks majestic, wear in good health!

How long did it take from placing the order to receiving the jacket?

 

[AerGuitar]

My black badalassi Sheene arrived yesterday. Very stiff and shiny and squeaky….but damn does it look good. Break in will take a while I suppose… View attachment 457559 View attachment 457560 View attachment 457561

Superb! Love that blue tartan. Wear wear wear, it will settle down eventually.

 

[KcM]

Looks majestic, wear in good health!

How long did it take from placing the order to receiving the jacket?

Well, actuall I was lucky. It only took about two weeks. Reason being that they where waiting on certain hides which Where in back order. Baldassari leather was in stock so those orders where moved up. At time of order I was told 8 to 10 weeks at the least, my initial order was in horween chromexcel HH, which I changed to baldassari SH.

 

[KcM]

Superb! Love that blue tartan. Wear wear wear, it will settle down eventually.

Thanks! Haha, yes I’m practically sleeping in the thing

 

[BraslinMclaslin]

Well, actuall I was lucky. It only took about two weeks. Reason being that they where waiting on certain hides which Where in back order. Baldassari leather was in stock so those orders where moved up. At time of order I was told 8 to 10 weeks at the least, my initial order was in horween chromexcel HH, which I changed to baldassari SH.

I had originally gone with the CXL HH too, then switched to black Badalassi after hearing about the delay.

 

[Salmosalar]

This has triggered an old itch I have still not scratched for another black badalassi jacket - I have just emailed Holly to see if they will do a Type 3 in it…..

 

[Edward]

Black badalassi is really a great hide imo - I much prefer it to Vic or CXL. It really develops amazing grain but without “fake” ageing....

You mean it's not teacore? Asking because I very definitely prefer my black leather to stay black, as a rule.

 

[KcM]

I had originally gone with the CXL HH too, then switched to black Badalassi after hearing about the delay.

Yes, there are some issues with the CXL HH delivery. I was Not aware of that, switched to baldassari after I saw a jacket that looked really stunning. It was a bit more expensive but very happy with it. Have you received yours yet?

 

[Salmosalar]

You mean it's not teacore? Asking because I very definitely prefer my black leather to stay black, as a rule.

No - its not teacore - dyed through…..and a really lovely proper deep black too. In my blue heaven Lewis Leathers would also offer badalassi for their jackets and Aero would offer the Lewis vegtan sheep for theirs…..

 

[KcM]

No - its not teacore - dyed through…..and a really lovely proper deep black too. In my blue heaven Lewis Leathers would also offer badalassi for their jackets and Aero would offer the Lewis vegtan sheep for theirs…..

Yes, dyed trough.

 

[Edward]

No - its not teacore - dyed through…..and a really lovely proper deep black too. In my blue heaven Lewis Leathers would also offer badalassi for their jackets and Aero would offer the Lewis vegtan sheep for theirs…..

Thanks, it sounds great.

That Lewis sheep looks great, especially the deep green. I'm wary of how soft it is, though I've yet to hear from anyone who found it overly fragile for streetwear.

 

[KcM]

Black on black. It’s very comfy actually and according to the wife she does not hear the squeeks with the top down…go figure