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Any good tan cowhide oil leather jackets? budget - unlimited

jchance

A-List Customer
Messages
343
Location
Los Angeles
Nah, you should avoid buying Himel due to recent negative ordering experiences (you can search the forum for this). Himel, buying used, is still good if you can get it at a reasonable price.
 

sougey

New in Town
Messages
35
Do you live near any store that offers leather jackets you can try on? Fitting is half of the battle. Once you have your size and measurements figured out, you seem to like Y2 so order that—used, not new.
yeah I have a lewis leathers nearby that's the plan
 

sougey

New in Town
Messages
35
This one is only $89!
View attachment 642403
Joking aside, I agree that you shouldn’t spend over $1500 on a jacket. This is a good Thedi thread:
yeah i've checked out thedi and all the major brands, the colour is really important what im trying to find out is if there are any brands that I am unaware of that have a jacket in tan oiled cowhide
 
Messages
11,183
Location
SoCal
Is it this color you’re after?
IMG_9287.jpeg
(British Tan Domain)

Or this:
IMG_9295.jpeg
 
Last edited:

floater

Familiar Face
Messages
93
If you’re stuck on oiled steer/cow I would suggest a tenjin works in natural/tan, and you could get that mtm as well

If you’re open to oiled horse then I would suggest the new fine creek rosen (jacket) or drifter (car coat), these are just about to come out and currently on pre-order, or blue willow and top field (both jackets) if you can still find them for sale (sold out last I checked)

I think it’s also worth to ask thedi for leather options he may have in this color tone because the browns on his website aren't really that close to it imho

I was in the same boat after seeing how TJ’s had aged and did some research looking for options, after some sun exposure those eventually get close to that really nice caramel-brown that an aged Y’2 camel western shirt gets, the natural tenjin darkens towards it while the fine creek lightens a bit
 
Last edited:

Aloysius

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,158
yeah I have a lewis leathers nearby that's the plan

Lewis doesn't make anything like you're looking for. What Mads is wearing in your photo is a (probably vintage) German style jacket. Lewis will make you a British motorcycle jacket with a 70s aesthetic. Nothing wrong with that (most of us love Lewis) but it's about as far from what you're looking for as you can get. Furthermore because of their motorcycle racing heritage, none of their colour choices are tan or similar shades; rather they do bright racing colours.

You can get the style you're looking for from German makers like these guys or German-influenced makers like Thedi. Likewise, Johnson leathers who were mentioned earlier can make anything. They are the custom shop I have had the best experience with and unlike other names that get brought up like Aero or Himel, they will actually make a bespoke pattern for you as needed. (Lewis briefly did this when a Japanese pattern drafter worked in the HQ but no longer does.)

To be clear, for most people, a bespoke pattern does not help for leather, and Aero at least does not claim to be bespoke. Himel does, while not being bespoke, but that's a whole other can of worms and besides the point.
 

AeroFan_07

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,798
Location
Iowa
Don't know where you live - so not able to help with specific makers that are close to you.

Others have nailed it - you need to get the fit right. Plus " this would be the first leather jacket I'm buying just an fyi."
I would ask you to consider -
-Do you really want a leather jacket?
-Why that color and style?
-What price/cost/benefit is worth it?
 

Aloysius

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,158
Don't know where you live - so not able to help with specific makers that are close to you.

Others have nailed it - you need to get the fit right. Plus " this would be the first leather jacket I'm buying just an fyi."
I would ask you to consider -
-Do you really want a leather jacket?
-Why that color and style?
-What price/cost/benefit is worth it?

I mean personally, having bought many leather jackets and essentially lost money on the whole thing as we all have, if I were to go out aiming to spend $4k on a jacket, I would just get my ass over to one of the top tailors in London (or depending on style preferences, another city or shop) to get some kind of wool (whether tweed or something else) jacket made and just live in the thing. It'll hold up to it too (old fashioned people like King Charles wear their outerwear until the lining is shredded, then get it relined and wear it for another few decades).
 
Messages
17,556
Location
Chicago
I would absolutely avoid anything custom. Don’t commit all those rubbles right out of the gate. Himel, no f’ing way. Hit or miss construction, and I can say from experience first hand with his stock pieces, they are absolutely nothing to write home about.
Thedi-you’ll wait. Maybe forever
5 Star-might as well strap a garbage bag to your chest.

I’d actually recommend Schott for a very well made, quality hide/construction in a myriad of patterns/hides and priced “reasonably”. Same with Vanson, if the styles suit you.

Bottom line, and I speak from experience, take your time and think it through. I spent much of my youth collecting vintage, later in life going custom, completely knew how to fit myself and still f’d up like it was my job. Part of this hobby is experimental. Do that on the cheaper end, settle in and find out what you really like.
 

sougey

New in Town
Messages
35
Lewis doesn't make anything like you're looking for. What Mads is wearing in your photo is a (probably vintage) German style jacket. Lewis will make you a British motorcycle jacket with a 70s aesthetic. Nothing wrong with that (most of us love Lewis) but it's about as far from what you're looking for as you can get. Furthermore because of their motorcycle racing heritage, none of their colour choices are tan or similar shades; rather they do bright racing colours.

You can get the style you're looking for from German makers like these guys or German-influenced makers like Thedi. Likewise, Johnson leathers who were mentioned earlier can make anything. They are the custom shop I have had the best experience with and unlike other names that get brought up like Aero or Himel, they will actually make a bespoke pattern for you as needed. (Lewis briefly did this when a Japanese pattern drafter worked in the HQ but no longer does.)

To be clear, for most people, a bespoke pattern does not help for leather, and Aero at least does not claim to be bespoke. Himel does, while not being bespoke, but that's a whole other can of worms and besides the point.
Oh woah the pics from Wildfang are sick thx! I'll def check those guys out, getting a fully custom jacket seems interesting though I don't think I'll do it without knowing what Johnson's jackets look fully aged
 

sougey

New in Town
Messages
35
If you’re stuck on oiled steer/cow I would suggest a tenjin works in natural/tan, and you could get that mtm as well

If you’re open to oiled horse then I would suggest the new fine creek rosen (jacket) or drifter (car coat), these are just about to come out and currently on pre-order, or blue willow and top field (both jackets) if you can still find them for sale (sold out last I checked)

I think it’s also worth to ask thedi for leather options he may have in this color tone because the browns on his website aren't really that close to it imho

I was in the same boat after seeing how TJ’s had aged and did some research looking for options, after some sun exposure those eventually get close to that really nice caramel-brown that an aged Y’2 camel western shirt gets, the natural tenjin darkens towards it while the fine creek lightens a bit
thedi dosn't have any in the zipper style and I'm not sure if it's horsehide or cowhide. It's my understanding that lighting affects pictures severely, so just to be safe I only want to buy a cowhide, as for tenjin works I would love to buy one but their page is fully japanese and I can't translate it like a normal site lmfao, how do you tell if the jacket is cowhide or horsehide.
Fine creeks? The guys famous for there leather shirts? I thought they only sold black leather no?
 

sougey

New in Town
Messages
35
ah
thedi dosn't have any in the zipper style and I'm not sure if it's horsehide or cowhide. It's my understanding that lighting affects pictures severely, so just to be safe I only want to buy a cowhide, as for tenjin works I would love to buy one but their page is fully japanese and I can't translate it like a normal site lmfao, how do you tell if the jacket is cowhide or horsehide.
Fine creeks? The guys famous for there leather shirts? I thought they only sold black leather no?
Ah I'm rereading it now a preorder I see yeah I'll prolly stick to cow/steer hide to be safe
 

sougey

New in Town
Messages
35
Don't know where you live - so not able to help with specific makers that are close to you.

Others have nailed it - you need to get the fit right. Plus " this would be the first leather jacket I'm buying just an fyi."
I would ask you to consider -
-Do you really want a leather jacket?
-Why that color and style?
-What price/cost/benefit is worth it?
Australia lmao we don't have shit here
I just want the best market value for a top tier jacket, and I specified what I was looking for in the post
 

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