Flight jacket from "The Aviator"

[Bogie1943]

Hello Friends,

Well, I used to know the name of the company that made this jacket but I have forgotten. I am referring to the russet colored flight jacket he wore at the beginning of the film. I love this jacket and was just wondering if anyone out there can remember the company that made it? Paddy?

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Belstaff.

 

[SGB]

Aviator "Wings" jacket

I have one of the jackets worn in the movie, during the "Wings" sequences. I should sell it as it is too big for me. It's a longer leather coat, size large or extra large.

SGB

 

[PADDY]

Spot on Tim!! Belstaff made this aviator jacket.

They introduced a 'aviation heritage' styled range on the back of the movie and had some nice marketing pictures of the jacket that DiCaprio wears and a few other variations.
Check their website, as I'm not sure if they are still retailing them.[huh]

 

[Alan Eardley]

The present (Italian) company claims that jacket as an accurate reproduction of an original 1920s Belstaff (Stoke-on-Trent) jacket from the museum in Longton.

I can only comment that when I worked for Belstaff I had free access to their archives, I know people who worked there for fifty years, I have visited the museum on a number of occasions and spoken to the staff, and no-one seems able to identify Mr. Di Caprio's jacket as a 1920s Belstaff product.

Artistic licence, I think.

Alan

 

[Smithy]

Artistic licence or not, it's a sharp jacket. Reminds me a little of "The Rocketeer" as well.

 

[Alan Eardley]

Artistic licence or not, it's a sharp jacket. Reminds me a little of "The Rocketeer" as well.

Fair enough, but, as someone rather famously said, 'What is truth?'.

Schott used to make jackets in that style in the 1970s. I still have one that is like a cross between the 'Aviator' jacket and a B-1 (belt etc). It has the deep lancer front, grenade pin zip pullers and a sheepskin lining. It also has shoulders like some Kurland jackets. Crazy!

Alan

 

[John Lever]

Nice design. Does anyone have a link to the company that makes them ?
John

 

[Alan Eardley]

What Belstaff has come to.

For me, this says it all...

http://viewitaly.blogspot.com/2007/06/george-clooney-designs-leather-jackets.html

Alan

 

[cookie]

For me, this says it all...

http://viewitaly.blogspot.com/2007/06/george-clooney-designs-leather-jackets.html

Alan

You are right. Am I the only one that is sick to death of these Hollywood losers like Clooney who attach themselves like limpets to every human tragedy so they look cool in Hollywood? MTW

 

[Alan Eardley]

You are right. Am I the only one that is sick to death of these Hollywood losers like Clooney who attach themselves like limpets to every human tragedy so they look cool in Hollywood? MTW

Cookie,

Your opinion, I'm sure.

The point that I am making relates to the way aviation, outdoor and motorcycle clothing is perceived, as well as the role that 'celebrities' have in its design. When I worked for Belstaff, we had regular input to the Trialmaster range from world motorcycling trials champion Sammy Miller. We also had direct involvement with Chris (now Sir Chris) Bonington in developing a mountaineering jacket (I still have one and it is great). Sir Chris has 15 major climbing 'firsts' to his name and at the time had recently climbed Everest by the south-east route and K2 by the direct route <http://www.bonington.com>. His knowledge of what is required in a survival garment is probably unmatched and his approval of the jacket surely meant something?

What does George Clooney bring to the party? What does his involvement say about the practical, functional nature of what should be protective clothing?

Alan

 

[PADDY]

Celebrities in 'classic vintage inspired' jackets...

It's a great marketing ploy, to have someone famous/well known, linked to a particular garment. It 'ups' the sales, as folk will purchase a jacket 'just' on the grounds that 'Leonardo 'wore it in 'that movie,' or 'Marlon Brando' wore it in the other!! And it plays on the fact that 'we all' like to feel good about ourselves when we step out [huh] And maybe, just maybe, if I wear 'that jacket' then a little teeney-weeney bit of 'Leonardo' will come out in me (I'll feel like a movie star, people will 'think' I even LOOK like a movie star!!:eusa_clap such is the psychology behind the action). I might even take it a step further and think..." Gosh, I look like a young Howard Hughes!!"

So, I can see the logic of Belstaff creating a range of vintage aviation 'inspired' jackets, launched off the back of the movie. We will undoubtedly see the same thing with clothing launched on the back of the Indiana Jones movie, and quite rightly the business people who have supplied the clothes will be plugging their association. It's good business sense.

Having experts in their outdoor fields such as Ranulph Fiennes and Bonners (Chris Bonnington) inputting into the design features and characteristics of a functional jacket, makes brilliant sense. They've been there, done it and can feedback on where kit performed well and not so well.

But the link of Movie Stars to clothing, in this case (we are the JACKET ROOM after all) jackets, doesn't have functionality in mind (we're not climbing Annapurna II), it has people's dreams in mind.

And 'surely' ladies and gentlemen, we all like to dream from time-to-time

 

[Alan Eardley]

Summarising

It's a great marketing ploy, to have someone famous/well known, linked to a particular garment. It 'ups' the sales, as folk will purchase a jacket 'just' on the grounds that 'Leonardo 'wore it in 'that movie,' or 'Marlon Brando' wore it in the other!! And it plays on the fact that 'we all' like to feel good about ourselves when we step out [huh] And maybe, just maybe, if I wear 'that jacket' then a little teeney-weeney bit of 'Leonardo' will come out in me (I'll feel like a movie star, people will 'think' I even LOOK like a movie star!!:eusa_clap such is the psychology behind the action). I might even take it a step further and think..." Gosh, I look like a young Howard Hughes!!"

So, I can see the logic of Belstaff creating a range of vintage aviation 'inspired' jackets, launched off the back of the movie. We will undoubtedly see the same thing with clothing launched on the back of the Indiana Jones movie, and quite rightly the business people who have supplied the clothes will be plugging their association. It's good business sense.

Having experts in their outdoor fields such as Ranulph Fiennes and Bonners (Chris Bonnington) inputting into the design features and characteristics of a functional jacket, makes brilliant sense. They've been there, done it and can feedback on where kit performed well and not so well.

But the link of Movie Stars to clothing, in this case (we are the JACKET ROOM after all) jackets, doesn't have functionality in mind (we're not climbing Annapurna II), it has people's dreams in mind.

And 'surely' ladies and gentlemen, we all like to dream from time-to-time

Paddy,

So, to summarise what you are saying, 'Mall clothing for fantasists?'.

No thanks.

Alan

 

[AlanC]

I enjoyed this quote from the linked post:

There is an underlying theme in everything Italian. That theme is that the value of the individual is more important than things.

Like Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada...

 

[Alan Eardley]

I enjoyed this quote from the linked post:

Like Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada...

I have no problem with these fashion labels, as they don't make claims that they can't live up to. They make and sell clothing that is valued for its form rather than its function. It fits a particular lifestyle and set of aspirations that are not my own, but which I can understand. Actors and actresses have always lent their names to such products. That's great!

Belstaff, however, seems to base its 'brand image' on a certain heritage on which it 'fails to deliver' IMO. Look at the website www.belstaff.com. Click on Man (go past Miss Moss) and look at the Timeline page. Notice the accent on heritage as well as function and active pursuits. See the photos of Belstaff items worn by aviation pioneers, Spitfire pilots, motorcyclists and the military? A clear 'image' is being promoted here and a fine heritage is being exploited for marketing reasons.

Now click on Fashion Show. Notice the difference?

The flying clothing of the 1920s and 30s that is so often admired on these pages or the materials from which it and other 'adventure clothing' was made were developed with direct input from men like Admiral Byrd, Spalding, Cottingley and Irving. Not to mention the famous Italian Admiral Ventile*. Aviation pioneers, explorers and men of action, every one. I think their input to our hobby is more worthy than that of Mr. Clooney or Miss Moss, but that's just my opinion.

Alan

* That's a joke.