Leather Biker pants

[Christopher McCulloch]

Think this is the correct place to ask?
Can anyone help me identify the age and make of these pants? I bought them at a charity shop along with some Lewis Leathers which I was able to date with the label and zip. These don't have a makers label so iam struggling. The zips say Zipp on them and the press stud's say Newy England.
Thanks in advance

 

[Edward]

Never seen a pair identical to these before, but style-wise the general vibe would be late 70s - turn of the 90s. The British motorcycle leathers industry started largely dying off at that point, very little of it left now.

These don't resemble any Lewis trousers I've ever seen, though that's not to rule them out entirely: by the time Lewis hit the early 90s and Derek bought them over, they had moved away from many of their classic designs (as memory serves, Derek spent a few years buying back vintage examples from Japan and all over and reconstructing patterns). That said, Lewis were generally pretty good at branding their stuff from 67 on, so...

The ribbed pads are quite typical of British motorcycle leathers from c1978 until modern, CE-armour in pockets in the leathers started to come in twenty-five odd years ago.

At a guess, I'd put these at mid-late eighties, but it really is a guess. Be interesting to see the Lewis they came with, that might give some indication - though of course it's no guarantee they were bought at the same time.

 

[navetsea]

this is literally leather joggers those futuristic padding looks like 80s cyber punk genre

 

[Christopher McCulloch]

Never seen a pair identical to these before, but style-wise the general vibe would be late 70s - turn of the 90s. The British motorcycle leathers industry started largely dying off at that point, very little of it left now.

These don't resemble any Lewis trousers I've ever seen, though that's not to rule them out entirely: by the time Lewis hit the early 90s and Derek bought them over, they had moved away from many of their classic designs (as memory serves, Derek spent a few years buying back vintage examples from Japan and all over and reconstructing patterns). That said, Lewis were generally pretty good at branding their stuff from 67 on, so...

The ribbed pads are quite typical of British motorcycle leathers from c1978 until modern, CE-armour in pockets in the leathers started to come in twenty-five odd years ago.

At a guess, I'd put these at mid-late eighties, but it really is a guess. Be interesting to see the Lewis they came with, that might give some indication - though of course it's no guarantee they were bought at the same time.

Hi, thanks for the reply. Apparently both pairs of leathers were donated by the same person although could have been bought years apart. I have added some pictures of the Lewis Leathers for your interest.

 

[Christopher McCulloch]

this is literally leather joggers those futuristic padding looks like 80s cyber punk genre

I've no idea if that's a good or bad thing

 

[Monitor]

@Edward, pure 90's, more like it.
It was when the leather trousers design intended for professional racing, during the heyday of European motorcycle racing, began pouring into "civilian" motorcycle gear, and even that had to happen after 2-piece suits entered race tracks.
70's UK leather pants were styled differently, less... Let's say advanced and the sausage padding wasn't a thing back then. Finest leather suits had double layer of leather at knees or elbows - Remember Hailwood's suits, anatomically tailored to perfection - and no armor was used. Some sponge, later on.

Thus, I'm thinking, these were made during the 90's or at least very late 80's, when Belstaff went nuts with pro racing gear. Which was great, by the way. But the padding makes me think 90's.

 

[Marc mndt]

Judging by the style of the label, this should be late 70s early 80s.

 

[Edward]

The label definitely makes the Lewis pair easier to date! I'd agree they look to be quite late on in the day for the pre-Derek ownership. Those pads are very much in the style of post '78 Lewises; sort of thing that came in with the Monza / Super Monza jackets and such. To the best of my knowledge on the UK stuff, the zip at the back, designed to attach to a matching set of teeth in the jacket and create something of the effect of a one-piece (intended to stop the jacket riding up and exposing the rider in the event of an off) was a feature that became common late in the day - late 80s.

this is literally leather joggers those futuristic padding looks like 80s cyber punk genre

What it reminds me of are the variant of plus fours that had/ have elasticated cuffs instead of button or buckle fastening at the bottom. A very old design (I've seen them as early as 1930s), even if regarded by purists in the same mould as a pre-tied bow tie. I've never seen it on motorcycle trousers before, but I can see the concept: these were designed to tuck into tall, UK-style motorcycle boots that were typically longer and narrower-fitting than a US style engineer boot. English motorcyclists had a tendency to tuck their trousers into the boot rather than over them like the American / Brando look.

@Edward, pure 90's, more like it.
It was when the leather trousers design intended for professional racing, during the heyday of European motorcycle racing, began pouring into "civilian" motorcycle gear, and even that had to happen after 2-piece suits entered race tracks.
70's UK leather pants were styled differently, less... Let's say advanced and the sausage padding wasn't a thing back then. Finest leather suits had double layer of leather at knees or elbows - Remember Hailwood's suits, anatomically tailored to perfection - and no armor was used. Some sponge, later on.

Thus, I'm thinking, these were made during the 90's or at least very late 80's, when Belstaff went nuts with pro racing gear. Which was great, by the way. But the padding makes me think 90's.

Could be - definitely not after the middle 90s when separate armour inserts started to be seen, and the British motorcycle leather industry that once had so, so many brands largely dried up and died out by the early-mid 90s. That elasticated cuff definitely sticks out, though - it surely must be a giveaway if we but knew what brand(s) it was associated with!

 

[navetsea]

I can see their original intent is to be tucked into boots, but when worn outside the track paired with other shoes then it turns into joggers, i'm not saying it is a good or bad, its just different and if someone from zara, or all saint, etc browsing this page next week you might see it rocked by paid influencers paired with kanye's sneakers... im not implying it is bad..

 

[Monitor]

I can see their original intent is to be tucked into boots, but when worn outside the track paired with other shoes then it turns into joggers, i'm not saying it is a good or bad, its just different and if someone from zara, or all saint, etc browsing this page next week you might see it rocked by paid influencers paired with kanye's sneakers... im not implying it is bad..

It's not bad, it's just what it is; Intended to be worn under motorcycle boots. Most racing trousers have very narrow cuffs, either zippered or elasticized or something, as you know no doubt, but what's a bit confusing with these is that there's no taper. They're wide and then turning into elastic cuffs, like an A-2 so I see what you mean. Not something you often see.

 

[Edward]

I can see their original intent is to be tucked into boots, but when worn outside the track paired with other shoes then it turns into joggers, i'm not saying it is a good or bad, its just different and if someone from zara, or all saint, etc browsing this page next week you might see it rocked by paid influencers paired with kanye's sneakers... im not implying it is bad..

I'm pretty sure Kanye's fashion range already had a pair of leather joggers at one point.... I don't follow his stuff, but with a celebrity on that level one inevitably sees them in the media.

It's not bad, it's just what it is; Intended to be worn under motorcycle boots. Most racing trousers have very narrow cuffs, either zippered or elasticized or something, as you know no doubt, but what's a bit confusing with these is that there's no taper. They're wide and then turning into elastic cuffs, like an A-2 so I see what you mean. Not something you often see.

Yeah, that's what put me in mind of plus fours. I suspect these come closer the knee - for the taller, British boots that were common at a time - than more down towards the lower calf / a little above the ankle.