American Classics and Real McCoy in London

[Sir Jacket]

Just popped by the emporiums of the above two in London and almost wet myself. American Classics has a couple of leather beauties by Bill Kelso, including a three-quarter length, reddish HH long-Halfbelt-like number. And at The Real McCoy's, opened three days ago a few streets down in Covent Garden, I fell deeply in love with the "A1" with olive knits. I recommend visiting both if in London. SJ

 

[wdw]

Thanks for the tip. Will be down next week and will check them out.

 

[handymike]

They also carry the BK Heracles!!!!!

 

[tropicalbob]

American Classics? I thought that was half-Italian.

 

[Sloan1874]

Thanks for the tip. Will be down next week and will check them out.

Same here. You divert the staff in RM's, I'll grab a couple of sweatshirts and meet you in Soho!

 

[Sir Jacket]

I'm imagining a stampede of leather jacket freaks at the post-Christmas sale. SJ

 

[chamboid]

Thought I'd put link to our face book page up here to show of the jacket we have in stock at the moment.

It truly is a fantastic jacket and the hide and detailing superd.

https://m.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=807805542594119&id=100563059985041

 

[Superfluous]

^ Gorgeous jacket!

 

[rocketeer]

American Classics? I thought that was half-Italian.

American Classics was a chain of outlets for secondhand American clothing during the British 'Rockerbilly' heyday of the early 1980s and onwards, selling genuine USA leathers, denims, Hawaiian shirts and other original 1950s clothing.
The 1940s thing had not really kicked in at this time so it was mainly 1950s stuff as hardly anyone was retro producing any of this clothing at that time.
They had a number of stores in London, the Kings Road shop being the main store, it was at the 'Worlds End' (A pub) end of Kings Road, I am not sure where the others were but think they may have had the store in Covent Garden.
Eventually the scene changed and the Kings Road shop closed, Covent Garden was still hanging in there but much smaller, still selling old leathers and denims etc but now with brand new manufactured repro stock as well.
I popped in here a year or so ago, now they only sell new retro such as Eastman, Buzz and Red Wing(I believe), not a secondhand item in sight. Cant remember his name but the store owner/manager is the same guy that ran the Kings Road shop way back in the early 1980s.
Maybe there is a USA based company of the same name, I expect there is
Cheers, J

 

[Edward]

I think Bob is referencing Bill Kelso there. ;-)

 

[pipvh]

I lived opposite the King's Road shop for a year in 1984 - happy days! I used to think of American Classics as the high-end version of Flip on Longacre.

Those BK jackets are the bomb. Very taken by the capeskin.

 

[pawineguy]

American Classics? I thought that was half-Italian.

I actually laughed out loud at this one...

 

[Sir Jacket]

What do people think -- £1,500 for a jacket (the Real McCoy's A1)? I'm actually considering it: they are very pretty. SJ

 

[schitzo]

If you like pretty things that much SJ, go ahead.

Me, I'm thinking would one of these make me twice as happy as a BK A1. Granted, that option does of course carry a wait

 

[havocpaul]

American Classics King's Rd shop once appeared in a piece on the C4 show The Tube, the reporter (some young kid I recall, not Jools or Paula) was taken on a guided tour being shown various items of vintage clothing stock, including a number of original A-2 jackets shown on a rail; these were in fact from the collection of the Pretenders' manager, Dave Hill and 'loaned' to the shop for the shoot! The Covent Garden shop although small had a good range of Buzz Rickson jackets several years ago when I last visited.

 

[Sir Jacket]

Can't seem to find pics of the BK A1. The olive knits and general standard of the RM were pretty special. SB

 

[handymike]

The RM A-1 is very nice!!!
Tried one on in NYC. The OD knits and stitching look great.
It's the jacket that convinced me to go Dark Seal Shinki on my Goodwear.
I love the smell too. Very different from Horween.
The price is pretty steep though.

 

[Edward]

What do people think -- £1,500 for a jacket (the Real McCoy's A1)? I'm actually considering it: they are very pretty. SJ

Too rich for my blood, but there's many would say that about the £700 I spent on my most recent Aero jacket, so it's horses for courses, I guess.

 

[rocketeer]

American Classics King's Rd shop once appeared in a piece on the C4 show The Tube, the reporter (some young kid I recall, not Jools or Paula) was taken on a guided tour being shown various items of vintage clothing stock, including a number of original A-2 jackets shown on a rail; these were in fact from the collection of the Pretenders' manager, Dave Hill and 'loaned' to the shop for the shoot!

I remember this Paul, was it the kid from the 2nd Indiana Jones film? That was about the time the Japanese took a fancy to old American clothing, particularly original A2s and the prices then went through the roof. This shop was often frequented by film and TV stars so prices tended to be a bit higher than other shops and stores. Guess those with the money had not heard of, or did not want to go south of the river to 'The Thrift Shop'.
Classics were good buyers though, as in the early 1990s I needed money to insure a 1960 Cadillac I had bought, gave me £175 for it, no questions or haggling as I was desperate. Then I found out I need not have sold it
If anyone knows what happened to it I would be interested(Dont worry, I dont want it back haha)

 

[Sir Jacket]

I wonder if they're cheaper in Japan. You could probably get a cheap flight to Tokyo thrown in for around the same price.

SJ