Ask a Question, Get An Answer About Outerwear

[Cornelius]

A minor detail, but I love the double-snap fastener design on that throat latch. So much less fussy than a buckle or button (@MrProper, you should have Shawn copy this feature for any future 5* shearlings).

 

[Blackadder]

It’s not a Freewheelers design but a repro of a Leathertogs. Other makers do it. Although admittedly Freewheelers might have been the first to bring it back to life.

I’ve read the same somewhere about Fountainhead leathers being a spin off of some sort of Fine Creek. @Blackadder do you know more?

No, sorry no solid clue.

 

[Superfluous]

Isn't Fountainhead leather run by the same guys that are behind Fine Creek leathers?

I’ve read the same somewhere about Fountainhead leathers being a spin off of some sort of Fine Creek. @Blackadder do you know more?

Per S&S, Fountainhead is not related to FCL or the owners of FCL.

I tried to buy the Fountainhead Alpha in black, but they sold out in my size within hours.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

My opinion is that the fountainhead patterns look like absolute hot garbage. Seriously atrocious patterns from what I can see both on and off the model. Tiny shoulders and wide looking waists/bottom openings. The model usually looks good in every single thing they put on him, but he actually looks boxy and almost overweight in these fountainhead jackets... and he has a 10"drop according to the store so he should never look like that.

I really like the guys at S and S so no hate on them, but man these jackets look awful to me. Y'all know I don't like Fine Creek patterns, but I think I dislike these even more.

Just my opinion. Will be interesting to see how they end up fitting the people who buy them. I could be proven wrong, but not a great first impression for me.

In addition, some friends and I discussed these new jackets on Instagram as well. These other guys also own a few very nice leather jackets and they all agreed that the patterns did not look great.

 

[Marc mndt]

My opinion is that the fountainhead patterns look like absolute hot garbage. Seriously atrocious patterns from what I can see both on and off the model.

I don't know whether they're absolute garbage, but I can see that this is not an example of a well thought out pattern. It looks like a sack

 

[dudewuttheheck]

@Marc mndt well obviously I'm editorialising, but those pictures further prove what I'm saying. Saying the fit like a sack is quite apt in my opinion.

 

[Monitor]

I don't know whether they're absolute garbage, but I can see that this is not an example of a well thought out pattern. It looks like a sack
View attachment 309819 View attachment 309820

Why do they keep on gradually stretching every single one of these styles? Look at that back, everything is stretched out. Massive bottom panel, thick half-belt... And it's all even somehow bulging in the middle. It does fit like a sack, like @dudewuttheheck says. Like that FLC's copy of Vanson's racing jacket, same issue here.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

Why do they keep on gradually stretching every single one of these styles? Look at that back, everything is stretched out. Massive bottom panel, thick half-belt... And it's all even somehow bulging in the middle. It does fit like a sack, like @dudewuttheheck says. Like that FLC's copy of Vanson's racing jacket, same issue here.

Indeed. Stretched out, yet still wide in the middle. It's almost artful how bad it is.

 

[torfjord]

I don't know whether they're absolute garbage, but I can see that this is not an example of a well thought out pattern. It looks like a sack
View attachment 309819 View attachment 309820

That looks like a stretched out sack. Elongated garbage bag.

 

[Monitor]

Indeed. Stretched out, yet still wide in the middle. It's almost artful how bad it is.

Lol, artful! But it's a thing, I think. You'll know more about this particular phenomenon perhaps but this seems to be a trend of some sort that I have noticed started appearing two or so years ago, exclusively among Japanese makers. This exact shape of back of the jacket, shapelessly bulging out like that.
It's as if they're making 'em like badly fitting OTR jackets you'll buy if you absolutely don't want to spend good money on what you wear.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

That looks like a stretched out sack. Elongated garbage bag.

"Elongated garbage bag" is perfect

Like a garbage bag that you put something way too heavy in and it's stretching out, so you have to hold it higher up than you want to and run really quickly so you can throw it out before it breaks.

Lol, artful! But it's a thing, I think. You'll know more about this particular phenomenon perhaps but this seems to be a trend of some sort that I have noticed started appearing two or so years ago, exclusively among Japanese makers. This exact shape of back of the jacket, shapelessly bulging out like that.
It's as if they're making 'em like badly fitting OTR jackets you'll buy if you absolutely don't want to spend good money on what you wear.

Indeed, it is unfortunately something I have seen a lot recently as well. It's not all Japanese makers, though thank goodness. My RMC was supposedly a new model for 2020 so I would guess that the pattern was made in the past couple of years. Obviously I'm biased because it fits me so well, but it certainly does not have any of these traits. It's actually rather short by RMC standards. Let's hope Tenjin Works stays away from this trend we've been seeing.

 

[Mich486]

I don’t think it’s a Japanese trend as such but rather a modern trend (that’s being going on for a while). It just happens that we are looking at Japanese makers of leather jackets which are not making repros but rather modern re-interprations (there is a difference). The Japanese have been embedding vintage Americana into mainstream fashion way longer than the West has been making. Often with great results in my opinion.

But one doesn’t clearly need to look as far as Japan to notice the elongation of classic patterns is a thing a bit everywhere. Take a modern Levi’s or Lee trucker jacket for instance...

 

[58panheadfan]

I don't know whether they're absolute garbage, but I can see that this is not an example of a well thought out pattern. It looks like a sack
View attachment 309819 View attachment 309820

I don't think that's that bad. The jacket is one size too big for the model. In this forum I have seen numerous poorly fitting jackets from well-known manufacturers too. I also like the time period correct higher added halfbelt.

Edit: Whether another unimaginative leather jacket manufacturer is needed on the market is another question ... we need more inspiration, such as Thedi Leathers or maybe Himel...

 

[58panheadfan]

In addition to my post above. I have noticed that lately some people have started to wear their vintage style / inspired jackets way too tight ... that would be the opposite of a sack, namely a head cheese.

 

[jglf]

Maybe their cut is catered more toward Gen Z crowd with their oversized Champion/Supreme sweatshirts?

 

[Cornelius]

I don't know whether they're absolute garbage, but I can see that this is not an example of a well thought out pattern. It looks like a sack
View attachment 309820

Agreed. And again, the side adjusters being so out of line with the half-belt... always bugs me.

 

[jeo]

I don't think that's that bad. The jacket is one size too big for the model. In this forum I have seen numerous poorly fitting jackets from well-known manufacturers too. I also like the time period correct higher added halfbelt.

Edit: Whether another unimaginative leather jacket manufacturer is needed on the market is another question ... we need more inspiration, such as Thedi Leathers or maybe Himel...

I don't think it's one size too big. The pattern is just very blocky, with very little to no body taper seems like.

There is also a shot of one of the models wearing this out there with a profile side shot, and it jots out the back just like a FCL pattern.

Agreed. And again, the side adjusters being so out of line with the half-belt... always bugs me.

That's the original Hercules design. I personally don't mind it, but I get what you're saying though.

 

[Superfluous]

I have a question. My wife and I regularly go on casual bike rides on weekends -- usually about 15-30 miles -- we ride cruiser style e-bikes (don't want to work too hard). It is chilly in our area during the winter and I wear a jacket when we ride. I have not worn a leather jacket when riding my bike. It seems like overkill and, equally important, I would feel awkward wearing a leather jacket on a bicycle.

I know some here where their leather jackets regardless of what they are doing, including gardening, painting, and auto repair. I, on the other hand, continue to attach a certain element of reverence to leather jackets and therefore do not wear them for manual labor. On the other hand, I will gladly wear a leather jacket for mundane outings, such as a trip to the mall.

Riding a bike does not fall into the manual labor category. Nevertheless, I cannot wrap my arms around wearing a leather jacket on a bicycle. Given that I do not ride a motorcycle, I am already a poser when I wear moto jackets. Wearing a moto jacket on a bicycle strikes me as the height of poser-ness -- as though you are trying to equate a bicycle with a motorcycle and/or trying to look cool on a bicycle. As I said upfront, I would feel terribly awkward doing do.

Thoughts? Does anyone here wear their leather on bicycles?

 

[Blackadder]

From what I read on Japanese blogs etc, Fountainhead is for overseas market. Perhaps they think that means simply lengthening it to fit westerners' height. I think it happened to LW at one point too when they thought they could just simply shorten everything for the Japanese market. Jackets ended up having too big an armhole and not enough tapering on the sleeves given the shortened length.

 

[ton312]

I have a question. My wife and I regularly go on casual bike rides on weekends -- usually about 15-30 miles -- we ride cruiser style e-bikes (don't want to work too hard). It is chilly in our area during the winter and I wear a jacket when we ride. I have not worn a leather jacket when riding my bike. It seems like overkill and, equally important, I would feel awkward wearing a leather jacket on a bicycle.

I know some here where their leather jackets regardless of what they are doing, including gardening, painting, and auto repair. I, on the other hand, continue to attach a certain element of reverence to leather jackets and therefore do not wear them for manual labor. On the other hand, I will gladly wear a leather jacket for mundane outings, such as a trip to the mall.

Riding a bike does not fall into the manual labor category. Nevertheless, I cannot wrap my arms around wearing a leather jacket on a bicycle. Given that I do not ride a motorcycle, I am already a poser when I wear moto jackets. Wearing a moto jacket on a bicycle strikes me as the height of poser-ness -- as though you are trying to equate a bicycle with a motorcycle and/or trying to look cool on a bicycle. As I said upfront, I would feel terribly awkward doing do.

Thoughts? Does anyone here wear their leather on bicycles?

I think it’s fine as long as the jacket is a perfecto and you are smoking a cigar while you pedal.