Custom 30's German bike jacket

[imoldfashioned]

Gorgeous! I especially love the cuffs and the color but the whole thing is marvelous.

 

[John Lever]

Gorgeous! I especially love the cuffs and the color but the whole thing is marvelous.

The cuffs on the old mule jacket were rather crude. I'd seen this design some where else so I asked for it here. The original jacket also had double thickness leather on the shoulders and elbows but that would have been a superhuman effort for the machinist to achieve. I also dropped the double buttons, as being too 'showy'
Here's the old 30's jacket, very tiny, very rotten.

 

[feltfan]

Interesting to see the old jacket. I like the way the bottom
pocket is so close to the bottom edge of the jacket.

Any particular reason for losing the front and back seams used
to narrow the jacket in favor of that standard Aero belt design?

I take it the second row of buttons was intended to button
the lapel open? Got any pictures of the jacket unbuttoned/open?

Again, great jacket.

 

[jack miranda]

Pretty cool vision, John, to translate the old jacket

into the amazing garment you now have. The hides, the color, the fit--that jacket flat out sings! Well done, you and Aero both. :eusa_clap

 

[eClairvaux]

Surely 'Kraftradjacke' is motorcycle jacket in German?

That would be almost as if you would call a motorcycle jacket a steamhorse-jacket in English. No, motorcycle jackets go by Motorradjacke in (modern) german.

However "Kraftrad" and "Krad" are still in use in legal texts and in military contexts, where e.g. a "Kradmelder" uses a "Kraftrad" to deliver messages/documents etc.

What's most important though, is what Jan Solo pointed out: Kradjacke carries the air of times and their styles which are where this jacket is at home.

 

[John Lever]

That would be almost as if you would call a motorcycle jacket a steamhorse-jacket in English. No, motorcycle jackets go by Motorradjacke in (modern) german.

However "Kraftrad" and "Krad" are still in use in legal texts and in military contexts, where e.g. a "Kradmelder" uses a "Kraftrad" to deliver messages/documents etc.

What's most important though, is what Jan Solo pointed out: Kradjacke carries the air of times and their styles which are where this jacket is at home.

I have suggested a possible name change to Will at Aero, lets see what he thinks. I know the German market is a big part of Aero's business, so maybe it could be called Kradjacke on German web sites.
I think Rad will appeal to English speaking customers.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Interesting. The abandonment of the second row of buttons (a mistake, IMO) gives a very military tunic-y look to it. Almost futuristic.


It'll be interesting to see it again as the leather attains character over time.

bk

 

[John Lever]

 

[John Lever]

Interesting to see the old jacket. I like the way the bottom
pocket is so close to the bottom edge of the jacket.

Any particular reason for losing the front and back seams used
to narrow the jacket in favor of that standard Aero belt design?

I take it the second row of buttons was intended to button
the lapel open? Got any pictures of the jacket unbuttoned/open?

Again, great jacket.

I think this is a compromise from Aero and I think it needs slightly more taper perhaps by lowering the belts or just removal of material.
I thought two rows of buttons would look too flash. I was after subtlety with style.

 

[Creeping Past]

Of course, it's a version, and a very practical, usable one at that.

I'm sure there are those who'd ask Aero for a custom version [even more custom, that is] in goatskin with two rows of buttons...

 

[Edward]

Interesting. The abandonment of the second row of buttons (a mistake, IMO) gives a very military tunic-y look to it. Almost futuristic.

The first thing it calls to my mind is this sort of thing:

The original design with the two rows of buttons makes me think more along the lines of this:

Both very military, the former obviously a futuristic view, the latter historial. As a design evolution piece, I would place John's jacket in the middle...

As a matter of personal taste, I'd actually find it difficult to choose one row of buttons or two... The double row, in my mind, echoes a history of military design, both US Civil War era uniforms (as pictured above) and the sort of tunic worn by same-era Euorpean troops - back in the day when there was no such thing as a separate dress uniform, and what we think of as such was what was worn on the battlefield. On the other hand, the single, functional row of buttons lends a beautiful, functional simplicity to it, with a forward-looking nod to the Perfecto jackets and the introduction of zips to create the image we think of as 'the biker jacket' today. I'd love to see one of these in black.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I was thinking of one particular Soviet futurist poster. But i can't find an image of it.

bk

 

[fishmeok]

That is an awesome jacket, the amount of work that went into it is mind-boggling. It would take me weeks to even come close.

From a practical standpoint Aero's design makes a lot more sense than the original with it's tapered panels at the waist- with the adjustable tabs at the side you can fit a much wider range of people and it is easier to construct. How does the jacket fit in the riding position?

One thing I've run across with button up MC jackets is the draft factor- when you are riding in 30 degree F or colder temps the drafts coming in around the buttons are brutal- it might be nice to have a hidden zipper on the inner flap to prevent this.

I like the single row of buttons, but that's just a personal taste issue.
I also like Kirk's uniform...:eusa_doh:
Cheers
Mark

 

[HoosierDaddy]

One thing I've run across with button up MC jackets is the draft factor- *****when you are riding in 30 degree F or colder temps**** the drafts coming in around the buttons are brutal- it might be nice to have a hidden zipper on the inner flap to prevent this.

Cheers
Mark

"Insane"?...:eusa_doh:
HD

 

[John Lever]

I don't have a bike, so it's not an issue. I just like the design.

 

[BellyTank]

I like that the second row of buttons have been omitted.
I also like 2 rows of buttons- it offers symmetry.

But the offset closure is a motorcycle jacket trait- to avoid getting a strong draft through a centred closure.

I like the asymmetry on Johns jacket.

You folks may have seen my old German goatskin jacket of a similar design,
with offset closure and 2 rows of buttons. It is one of my favourite styles.
The goatskin makes it very light and supple, which is a good thing in a close fitting jacket, where arm articulation is necessary.

My old jacket though, I would say, is not a motorcycle jacket but a leather offspring of the style used by German youth organisations, etc- derived from early ski-wear. The offset closure style became popular beyond the ski slopes and was used in German tank crew uniforms. The woollen tank crew uniforms are very reminiscent of 1930s ski clothing- especially in black.


B
T

 

[mike]

Fantastic jacket! You've got me thinking of getting one myself one day! Due to how close fitting the cut of the jacket is, how possible do you think it would be to add a half belt with center back pleat or even two for added ease of movement? I spoke with Aero about the general concept and they said they could do it, but it would cost extra bucks because they would be designing from scratch. I'd be worried to order from any of the custom jacket companies to be a guinea pig for a function that may, or may not actually work as it's supposed to, as we've seen from some modern belt backed suit jackets :eusa_doh:

 

[John Lever]

I like that the second row of buttons have been omitted.
I also like 2 rows of buttons- it offers symmetry.

But the offset closure is a motorcycle jacket trait- to avoid getting a strong draft through a centred closure.

I like the asymmetry on Johns jacket.

You folks may have seen my old German goatskin jacket of a similar design,
with offset closure and 2 rows of buttons. It is one of my favourite styles.
The goatskin makes it very light and supple, which is a good thing in a close fitting jacket, where arm articulation is necessary.

My old jacket though, I would say, is not a motorcycle jacket but a leather offspring of the style used by German youth organisations, etc- derived from early ski-wear. The offset closure style became popular beyond the ski slopes and was used in German tank crew uniforms. The woollen tank crew uniforms are very reminiscent of 1930s ski clothing- especially in black.


B
T

Good point about the leather. It is a thick chunky, and warm to wear. Both goat and Capeskin would be good I think. I may ask Aero to add a lower strap on both sides so I can tighten it up more around the waist for a snug fit. This might be easier than more tapering.
Here's a German tanker -

 

[Chrome]

Fabulous.

Similar design used here as well. I like german panzer jacket, unfortunately my replica is bit too big for me.

Yours is much better than what I found at thrift shop.

Buttons in my jacket are same than in that original one pictured previously, I always thought that those are from '70s (very popular here in that era). So My jacket could be older than that. Cool

 

[Edward]

I was thinking of one particular Soviet futurist poster. But i can't find an image of it.

bk

I also thought:

...though now I look at it again, this has a slightly different design, as it's a buttoned on front panel - like a cowboy shirt.