Fringed biker jackets?

[VansonRider]

I know I’ve seen them.
Not the Easy Rider western suede jacket but a black cross zip with fringe on the arms and back. Maybe a concho or two.
Anyone know the history of the fringed black cross zip?
I’m keeping an eye on EBay but any suggestions for brands? Schott made a few.

Anyone own one of these and feel like posting a picture?

(I know they’re not for everyone, but you can say the same about grizzly jackets, and they get some love and attention now and again)

 

[Marc mndt]

 

[Edward]

View attachment 644247
View attachment 644246 View attachment 644245 View attachment 644244

This is an interesting one - I've not seen the brand before, but it's very typical of the specifically British / English style of fringed leathers I've encountered over the years (front half belt rather than side straps aside, the latter being more common on many British jackets for a long period. The fringing ound the cuff is unusual in my experience.). The "British" tassles tend to be somewhat shorter and broader like that, as compared to the American style fringed jackets I remember being big among a lot of the metal crowd in the 1980s. Longer, thinner fringing, like this:

(Not a great example of a *jacket* I suspect, pic found online, but a perfect illustration of the different style of fringing.)

It's a look I've never dabbled with for regular wear as it's just never really been for me, though I confess I often idly look at fringed Lewises on eBay in the hope that they'll sell for less than unfringed, I might get a bargain and hey, I have scissors.... Although it was not unheard of in the early 60s rocker scene here in the UK, it was , per period photos, not especially popular, and it's not one you'll see much among Rocker revivalists.

Lewis introduced their fringed jackets initially in the early 60s, starting with the Plainsman:

It's believed that this is what Tim Curry's jacket, worn first on stage in the Rocky Horror Show, and later capture on film in the Rocky Horror Picture Show, was. Curry's jacket looks very similar, though on it the fringing on the chest and over the back has been removed, leaving only the fringes down the arms:

The jacket was Curry's own, personal jacket (he was seen wearing it on other occasions around, as memory serves, 1980, at which point it was, legend has it, given away. There is a jacket out there now that is claimed to be the original ,though there are those who dispute it: nobody knows for certain). It is said to have been an original Rocker's jacket that Tim bought used in the early 70s. I used various stand-ins and alternatives in my days as a Dr Furter shadowcaster; eventually I'll do a proper one. I've got some of the pins and patches in a drawer for that day...

Curry's jacket could of course also have been a Highwayman (the house brand for Rivett's of London), as they produced a very similar range of jackets to Lewis. Both brands took inspiration from each other: the Highwayman design that inspired the original Aero Highwayman in 1983, and which nowadays has been more directly recreated as the Original 59er Highwayman, was in production from about 1958, several years before Lewis introduced their very similar Corsair and Dominator models. The two brands were big rivals back in the day, certainly on the 70s Speedway racing scene (knowing someone who used to ride competitively on that). Rivett's later sold their Highwayman bits to Lewis after a period of non-use, which of course then precipitated the legal case with Aero who had legitimately registered the name by the early mid 80s for their Highwayman model. Both Lewis and Highwayman introduced very similar fringed jackets in the early 60s, I'm told inspired by the popularity of American Westerns in Britain at the time. Fringed versions of many of their classic models exist, though the Curry-style jacket is probably the archetype of these. Perhaps the more notably striking as it's not a style of jacket we saw so much with the American styles that came in in a big way in the 80s,, and it is a fringed version of what became very much seen as the archetypal British Rocker jacket in that movement's 60s heyday.

@Marc mndt - that's a really interesting jacket otherwise as well; I'd love an unfringed version with those pockets. Looks a very practical beast.

 

[VansonRider]

View attachment 644247
View attachment 644246 View attachment 644245 View attachment 644244

I like everything about this jacket, the fringe that goes around the cuffs, how they kept it away from the wrist, the double flap pockets with the D pocket, and the length is right on point.

It’s a personal taste thing, but i think so many riders are cut a little long in front, I really like the patterning on this example.

 

[Marc mndt]

@Marc mndt - that's a really interesting jacket otherwise as well; I'd love an unfringed version with those pockets. Looks a very practical beast.

These Canadian British Cycle Leathers HD Cycle Champ copies are relatively easy to find. They usually come without the fringes. In fact, mine is the only fringed one I've ever seen.

 

[Edward]

These Canadian British Cycle Leathers HD Cycle Champ copies are relatively easy to find. They usually come without the fringes. In fact, mine is the only fringed one I've ever seen.

View attachment 644490 View attachment 644491
View attachment 644492 View attachment 644493

Ah, a Canadian brand? THat's likely why I've not seen it before. Worth keeping an eye out for - thanks. It's be a cracking design for a company looking to do their own version of a lancer front too; not sure I've seen any repops quite like this floating around?

 

[Bonasera]

British Highwayman fringed jacket


Belstaff fringed rockers jacket

 

[Madhouse27]

Required pose for fringe owners

 

[tyler87432f]

This is an interesting one - I've not seen the brand before, but it's very typical of the specifically British / English style of fringed leathers I've encountered over the years (front half belt rather than side straps aside, the latter being more common on many British jackets for a long period. The fringing ound the cuff is unusual in my experience.). The "British" tassles tend to be somewhat shorter and broader like that, as compared to the American style fringed jackets I remember being big among a lot of the metal crowd in the 1980s. Longer, thinner fringing, like this:

View attachment 644253

(Not a great example of a *jacket* I suspect, pic found online, but a perfect illustration of the different style of fringing.)

It's a look I've never dabbled with for regular wear as it's just never really been for me, though I confess I often idly look at fringed Lewises on eBay in the hope that they'll sell for less than unfringed, I might get a bargain and hey, I have scissors.... Although it was not unheard of in the early 60s rocker scene here in the UK, it was , per period photos, not especially popular, and it's not one you'll see much among Rocker revivalists.

Lewis introduced their fringed jackets initially in the early 60s, starting with the Plainsman:

View attachment 644254

It's believed that this is what Tim Curry's jacket, worn first on stage in the Rocky Horror Show, and later capture on film in the Rocky Horror Picture Show, was. Curry's jacket looks very similar, though on it the fringing on the chest and over the back has been removed, leaving only the fringes down the arms:

View attachment 644255

The jacket was Curry's own, personal jacket (he was seen wearing it on other occasions around, as memory serves, 1980, at which point it was, legend has it, given away. There is a jacket out there now that is claimed to be the original ,though there are those who dispute it: nobody knows for certain). It is said to have been an original Rocker's jacket that Tim bought used in the early 70s. I used various stand-ins and alternatives in my days as a Dr Furter shadowcaster; eventually I'll do a proper one. I've got some of the pins and patches in a drawer for that day...

Curry's jacket could of course also have been a Highwayman (the house brand for Rivett's of London), as they produced a very similar range of jackets to Lewis. Both brands took inspiration from each other: the Highwayman design that inspired the original Aero Highwayman in 1983, and which nowadays has been more directly recreated as the Original 59er Highwayman, was in production from about 1958, several years before Lewis introduced their very similar Corsair and Dominator models. The two brands were big rivals back in the day, certainly on the 70s Speedway racing scene (knowing someone who used to ride competitively on that). Rivett's later sold their Highwayman bits to Lewis after a period of non-use, which of course then precipitated the legal case with Aero who had legitimately registered the name by the early mid 80s for their Highwayman model. Both Lewis and Highwayman introduced very similar fringed jackets in the early 60s, I'm told inspired by the popularity of American Westerns in Britain at the time. Fringed versions of many of their classic models exist, though the Curry-style jacket is probably the archetype of these. Perhaps the more notably striking as it's not a style of jacket we saw so much with the American styles that came in in a big way in the 80s,, and it is a fringed version of what became very much seen as the archetypal British Rocker jacket Black Leather Collection in that movement's 60s heyday.

@Marc mndt - that's a really interesting jacket otherwise as well; I'd love an unfringed version with those pockets. Looks a very practical beast.

It's a matter of personal preference, but I find that many riders are designed with a front cut that's slightly too long.

 

[Al 916]

Kett

 

[Edward]

It's a matter of personal preference, but I find that many riders are designed with a front cut that's slightly too long.

I've certainly encountered jackets that would be much too long for a comfortable position on a bike designed to ride leaning well forward, crouched over the tank. a lot of British jackets from the 60s on especially compromised on that, though, to avoid riders getting the chills when bending forward, where a shorter Schott style jacket would ride up and expose the lower back to the wind (Schott's Perfectos being primarily designed with a more upright, Harley riding position in mind).