Lewis Leathers Logo

[Acererak]

So I did what I imagine many have done before me: I reached out to Lewis Leathers and asked if they would leave the logo off a jacket, specifically a Dominator, if I ordered one. I got a polite response that unfortunately due to counterfeiting issues, they could not. I’m not here to debate the merits of this rationale.

What I would be interested to hear are: 1) people’s thoughts on branding on leather jackets and 2) the experiences of people who own LL jackets, and what they feel the logo adds or detracts from the jacket.

For my part, I’m conflicted. I cannot decide whether the LL logo (or any kind of leather jacket branding) is cool or less-so. I mean, the iconic images of Sid Vicious and Steve Mqueen in their LL jackets most certainly do not have logos on them. Marlon Brando and Peter Fonda’s jackets didn’t say “Schott.”


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[El Marro]

I am not a fan of the LL patch on the front of their jackets, nor would I want a patch on an Aero, Eastman, Thedi, etc.

 

[ton312]

If they aren't paying you to advertise for them...they should leave the logo off. To me a logo instantly makes a jacket look cheap.

 

[Grayland]

Don't like that logo placement at all. I find it obnoxious and would never buy/wear an LL jacket if that logo was present.I have no problems with subtle logos, but that is just so "in your face"

 

[handymike]

I don't like the logo. Addict-clothes in Japan do a "very" similar jacket without logo.

 

[Monitor]

What I said before - while LL isn't technically a motorcycle apparel company anymore, it is in the spirit of riding gear makers to display their logos on a jacket or a racing suit. Like most if not all other European makers do. I think it's all part of the charm and I would prefer my LL jacket with the logo.

And it's true, the European market was literally flooded with LL knockoffs (kinda like what's happening in Japan right now, minus the scene) and it has gotten so bad that back in the days when the LL craze was at its zenith, for people who actually had an authentic LL, logo was essential.

Rocketeer will tell you more but LL was a big part of the cafe racer scene here, in Europe. Like, extremely big. It mattered if you had an authentic LL or a knockoff.

 

[jacketjunkie]

I used to dislike LL jackets for the very reason of these logos. Now that I'm looking at it, I'm kind of growing to like it. My Vanson America has a much larger logo, not even made of leather unlike this LL one, and it doesn't bother me at all, it's part of the racer theme and charme of the jacket for me. The LL logo is so small, in real life people will only be able to read it if they stand right in front of you and stare at your chest, it's much more subtle than on these HD close up pictures.

 

[rocketeer]

Nice retro jackets though not in the spirit of historically correct repro's. As with putting Ray Ban on the lenses of sunglasses it appears more about the maker than the jacket itself. As to Derek thinking about cheaper imitators, so many other jackets could easily be mistaken for Lewis, a bit like Schott and rip off Perfecto's
One slightly obvious mistake in the posters intro, Sid Vicious could never be claimed to be Iconic, even John Lydon said so much when discussing him(Sid Vicious). Lydon on the other hand was he face of the Sex Pistols, like them or loath them, Sid Vicious was the scrapings of the bottom of the barrel who just happened to be photographed wearing a Lewis jacket.
Well, that my opinion anyway .

 

[Acererak]

Nice retro jackets though not in the spirit of historically correct repro's. As with putting Ray Ban on the lenses of sunglasses it appears more about the maker than the jacket itself. As to Derek thinking about cheaper imitators, so many other jackets could easily be mistaken for Lewis, a bit like Schott and rip off Perfecto's
One slightly obvious mistake in the posters intro, Sid Vicious could never be claimed to be Iconic, even John Lydon said so much when discussing him(Sid Vicious). Lydon on the other hand was he face of the Sex Pistols, like them or loath them, Sid Vicious was the scrapings of the bottom of the barrel who just happened to be photographed wearing a Lewis jacket.
Well, that my opinion anyway .

Sid Vicious is not a punk rock icon? I get that it irks you that the creative force behind the band has the less universally known name, but that in and of itself speaks to Sid’s iconography. His name is inextricably linked in popular culture to the genre, whether he deserves it or not.

 

[Fanch]

While I was in London awhile back and visited the LL store, I was also politely told that LL would not leave off the small patch. I'm unsure whether or not that was the tipping point but didn't place an order, and I really liked their Corsair jacket. The patch probably not a deal breaker for me but ...

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I can't say much bad about 'logos' since I have a drawer (or two) full of Harley T shirts I picked up at different locations and trips over the years plus a couple of denim jackets with Harley patches..Oh and a black leather 'Harley' vest. I wear them and could care less that I am advertising Harley Davidson for free.

IMO the Lewis logo is small enough and fairly subdued to not be a blatant 'in your face' advertisement. I'd wear it, if I liked Lewis Leathers jackets.

HD

 

[Carlos840]

This is going to be a collector someday i tell you!

 

[Edward]

Nice retro jackets though not in the spirit of historically correct repro's. As with putting Ray Ban on the lenses of sunglasses it appears more about the maker than the jacket itself. As to Derek thinking about cheaper imitators, so many other jackets could easily be mistaken for Lewis, a bit like Schott and rip off Perfecto's

Very true. End of the day, Derek is in business and wants to offer something that will still be unique in the market; as designs (though not patterns, that's another matter entirely as we all know in these parts) for clothes typically can't be protected on pure aesthetics, he has to protect what he can - the brand.

Any case, I find it an odd thing to make a dealbreaker. Lewis were still in their heyday in the mid sixties when they started adding the exterior label, so it's hardly without pedigree in that sense.

Either way, the sort of gold paint they use on that logo patch is very easily buffed off with a touch of nail varnish remover - or even covered over by a 59 Club patch or some other, era-appropriate bike patch (the irony!).

One slightly obvious mistake in the posters intro, Sid Vicious could never be claimed to be Iconic, even John Lydon said so much when discussing him(Sid Vicious). Lydon on the other hand was he face of the Sex Pistols, like them or loath them, Sid Vicious was the scrapings of the bottom of the barrel who just happened to be photographed wearing a Lewis jacket.
Well, that my opinion anyway .

Sid was made and remains a pop culture icon in his own right, for good or ill, and his output is not without merit. Any time you hear Somethin' Else played on British television, you're more likely to be hearing his cut than Eddie Cochran's, and his run on My Way (long story, but largely done to his own performing choices) is at least as important as Sinatra's. Neither of them wrote it, but Paul Anka gives Sid's version the nod to being the true spirit in which the song was written, and he should know.....

All that said..... Sid's supposed status as King Punk (as if there ever could be such a thing) seems to be mostly a US thing in my experience, and he's largely only really best known (and that, again, in the US moreso than the UK) because of the murder trial and his sad, squalid demise. Rotten might be considered harsh when he said that "Sid was just a coathanger", but in a very real sense he was. (It should also be noted that Rotten is on record as openly having expressed his brotherly love towards Sid, his regrets and what ifs and should-I-haves, and when he speaks of Sid he speaks from a place of the sort of pure honesty only true friends can muster, and as one who was there and saw it happen.) Sid was a crackin' singer when he wasn't doing his Johnny Rotten vocal impression (think C'Mon Ev'ry Body and Somethin' Else, not My Way), and maybe he might have done something more interesting later on had he fully understood the concept of stage persona - and not met, in Steve Jones' words, "That F**kin' Bird." (Disclaimer: I never met nor claim to understand Nancy Spungen, but foremost among those who blame her for Sid' demise and not the other way around is her own mother, which has to count for something.... of course, Nancy was a very damaged individual herself, with along history of mental health problems.) As our timeline sits, though, when original bassist and creative foil for Rotten Glen Matlock quit, sick of Talcy Malcy's mismanagement, McClaren shooed Sid in as more theatre than band member. Years later Malcolm would admit what he'd lost by pushing the conflict for entertainment rather than realising what a great band he had on his hands. You have to wonder what could have been. Still, they came, burned brightly and then burned out leaving behind the most important British album of the twentieth century (I'll hear debate on Bowie's behalf, granted, but you can stick yer Beatles). Sid's legacy is not one of contribution in particular to their music, and his Sex Pistol legend is largely posthumous. Iconic, yes - but little more part of the creativity of the Sex Pistols than you or I.

I can't say much bad about 'logos' since I have a drawer (or two) full of Harley T shirts I picked up at different locations and trips over the years plus a couple of denim jackets with Harley patches..Oh and a black leather 'Harley' vest. I wear them and could care less that I am advertising Harley Davidson for free.

IMO the Lewis logo is small enough and fairly subdued to not be a blatant 'in your face' advertisement. I'd wear it, if I liked Lewis Leathers jackets.

HD

That's the thing, ultimately. Most people will wear some logos.... just not all. I too tend to find the Lewis branding very subtle - I only wish most bike gear these days was the same. I've lost count of the jackets a I've turned down because of excessive and blatant branding.

 

[Mich486]

Just got my Lewis Leathers Cyclone delivered two weeks ago. I think the logo, as other said, is very subtle and if you dig the style i don’t see how that small thing could be a deal-breaker. The CyClone however has quite a busy front so the logo really gets lost in my opinion. Might be different for the dominator.

As handymike said, you can check out Addict clothes which make a few of the LL styles without logo and at... double price. They probably use also better hides but they are just off the rack if I’m not mistaken while LL is custom order. Honestly I don’t see why spending twice the price of an original for a clone. A great clone nonetheless.


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[Frame]

I dig the patch, and love my Dominator.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Yep. Jacket and patch looks good to me, Frame..!!
HD

 

[ProteinNerd]

I guess if you are into the Brand specifically you wouldn’t mind the logo, people may even like it for the snobbery factor to prove they have a real one.

The only item of clothing I now own with a brand on it is my Ducati branded functional motorcycle jacket and compared to the majority of modern armoured MC jacket branding, it’s tiny.

I have no association with Lewis Leathers at all, if they want me to advertise their brand, they can pay me for it. Ironically this would probably make me seek out a counterfeit version...

 

[Big J]

Interesting discussion about the Pistols. Very good.

I'm not a fan of logos on clothes in general. But if the originals had them, then it's ok. So Levi's tags are ok. And the LL logo patch is ok. Racers would have worn them like that back in the day, it was part of the culture, kind of sponsorship advertising I guess. I don't like Alpha jackets with their stupid logo stitched into them.

 

[Peacoat]

I'm not a fan of branding. Someone earlier mentioned Vanson's logo. I have a Vanson, and I don't remember any branding on my jacket. Maybe it is just late and I'm not thinking too clearly.

BTW, as iconic as it is, Brando didn't wear a Schott in The Wild One. It has been established by better eyes and minds than mine that it was a Durable. Schott and Durable were in completion back then. Schott later bought out Durable and decided that since it now owned the Durable brand, it could claim the jacket Brando wore was a Schott. Schott often refers to it as a Perfecto, which was the clone Schott made. More than a little misleading. But then that is marketing.

 

[Superfluous]

No bueno for me, and definitely a deal breaker.

I would gladly wear a label on my jacket . . . if, in addition to giving me the jacket for free, LL paid me a meaningful fee to serve as a moving billboard. Otherwise, no thank you.

I feel the same way about all my clothes. I do not wear any branded clothing. This past weekend, I saw a shirt that a liked . . . then I noticed the very small and subtle logo . . . I passed.

I feel the same way about women's purses. I hate the purses with LV and other signature logos plastered all over them. This is conspicuous consumption at its worst, and the tremendous demand for these purses speaks volumes about their buyers. Fortunately, my wife agrees.

As with most of what we discuss here, the foregoing is nothing more than the subjective opinion of an overly opinionated man who, style wise, lives in the dark ages.