PSA: Lewis Leathers will now allow orders without a logo on the front.

[Carlos840]

Carlos, did you photoshop yours out? I love these...but I would probably go with Corsair pockets and 2 chest zips on my Green sheepskin version.

Nope, mine is from 2013 before they stopped allowing the removal of the logo.

 

[handymike]

I didn't see a logo in the picture..I like it without logo if there are chest pockets, but don't really mind it on Kona's.

 

[rocketeer]

How much does it cost to get the label left off?

I thought that was a joke until someone seriously answered it haha.

 

[handymike]

From a marketing POV I would upcharge for removal of my brand/ logo...I'm glad they don't.
As it stands, I think LL prefer to keep this all on the DL. I was asked "where did you hear this?"

 

[Winthorpe]

This is a bit off-topic, but I’m currently in LA and stopped by The Stronghold yesterday (US stockist for Lewis Leathers). They have a great selection of Lewis Leathers jackets in a variety of hides and colors.

I chatted with them about the policy change on now being able to omit the Logo patch. Not sure if they put much trust in what a random guy that just stopped by their store for the first time was telling them, but said that they will follow up with Lewis Leathers.

I tried on the Corsair and liked it quite a bit (but would need added sleeve and body length). While I usually prefer horsehide over sheepskin, I would get the Corsair in their sheepskin. It’s a thick hide that is soft to touch and has lots of character. I think it would age beautifully.

The Corsair is $1,500 for a custom order (or $1,450 for stock jackets). That is about 50% more than ordering a jacket directly from Lewis Leathers (£787.5 for US/ Canadian customers) and having it shipped to the US. Not sure it that does include shipping though (the savings are less than the deduction of the VAT if my calculations are correct). If anyone knows I’d love to know. On top of that there is the potential for having to pay customs fees (as it is above $800). Based on what I’ve read that could be another $75.

Still, I guess it might make more sense to get measured at their London store (I plan to go there next year anyway) and then have the jacket shipped to the US. On top of the savings I feel it would also add to the experience to buy it directly from them.

 

[Edward]

Ah well, I only see this as more of a body protection on bike rather than a jacket that I would wear if I am not riding . There is always a market for these anyway, otherwise how can they sell so many bikes with vivid liveries on!

A lot of it's like football kit to my eye - always be a market for guys who want jackets that remind them of the race suits worn by superbike racers.

 

[Edward]

I thought that was a joke until someone seriously answered it haha.

There are products it costs more.... knew a guy years ago who bought a high end Beemer and paid an extra twelve hundred quid to have it delivered, new, debadged (save for the generic BMW). The reason for the charge at that time was that it involved quite a lot of human intervention into the manucfaturing process as the holes drilled for the badge were an integral part of the CAD programming for the relevant body panels. Here, of course, it would simply be an easy matter to not attach the logo patch to a custom ordered jacket, though I could imagine Lewis at some point applying a charge to discourage it if they really don't like it but don't want to outright say no.

 

[Justhandguns]

There are products it costs more.... knew a guy years ago who bought a high end Beemer and paid an extra twelve hundred quid to have it delivered, new, debadged (save for the generic BMW). The reason for the charge at that time was that it involved quite a lot of human intervention into the manucfaturing process as the holes drilled for the badge were an integral part of the CAD programming for the relevant body panels. Here, of course, it would simply be an easy matter to not attach the logo patch to a custom ordered jacket, though I could imagine Lewis at some point applying a charge to discourage it if they really don't like it but don't want to outright say no.

Ah well, these paid options are now being offered by lots of German car manufacturers. I think for model badges are simply glued on, something like the "M" or "AMG". I guess some odd wealthy persons want to be "discreet: with their equally noisy exhausts. I wonder if anyone would go as far as putting a fake model badge just to hide a more power engine underneath? Like placing a 320 on an M3?

 

[willyto]

From a marketing POV I would upcharge for removal of my brand/ logo...I'm glad they don't.
As it stands, I think LL prefer to keep this all on the DL. I was asked "where did you hear this?"

My theory is that they felt threatened by the japanese repro market and thought that only allowing jackets with logos would preserve their image but in fact that to me says they weren't confident enough in their product being better than the copies.

When I wear something I don't need anyone recognising the brand I'm wearing. I don't need people to know that I've spent 1000€ in a leather jacket nor which brand is it. Not even some of the Harley Davidson jackets which are way more famous than LW have patches outside, they have labels inside but that's all.

When I see an Aero I don't need the label to recognise it, same with a Thedi, Himel, The Real Mccoys, Eastman, Whitefeather, Buzz Rickson, Langlitz, Freewheelers...etc. The designs, leather and overall quality let's you know about the brand, you don't need a patch to recognise them and that's the great stuff, Maybe on some of the A-2 it can be a bit tricky but on civilian designs or unique ones? No way I'm not recognising the maker if I know about the jacket.

 

[Justhandguns]

My theory is that they felt threatened by the japanese repro market and thought that only allowing jackets with logos would preserve their image but in fact that to me says they weren't confident enough in their product being better than the copies.

When I wear something I don't need anyone recognising the brand I'm wearing. I don't need people to know that I've spent 1000€ in a leather jacket nor which brand is it. Not even some of the Harley Davidson jackets which are way more famous than LW have patches outside, they have labels inside but that's all.

When I see an Aero I don't need the label to recognise it, same with a Thedi, Himel, The Real Mccoys, Eastman, Whitefeather, Buzz Rickson, Langlitz, Freewheelers...etc. The designs, leather and overall quality let's you know about the brand, you don't need a patch to recognise them and that's the great stuff, Maybe on some of the A-2 it can be a bit tricky but on civilian designs or unique ones? No way I'm not recognising the maker if I know about the jacket.

I don't think they are being threatened in the Japanese market. Yes, there are quality jackets with the same styles made by the Japanese locals, but the 'Made in England' brand does sell as we know that the Japanese worship these foreign imports. To be fair, whether the Japanese clones are better is in the eyes of the beholder.

As for brand recognition, it is becoming more and more difficult these days, for certain 'unique' designs, yes, such as the Highwayman and the Grizzly. Like you said, unique ones. Lewis's styles are pretty generic British biker jackets, the thing is, we always refer Lewis as more of a fashion brand these days, hence it is logical for them to stick their established brand on their jackets as sort of like a QC. Anyhow, you hardly find fake Thedi, Himel or Eastman in the market and there is really no need to have a huge badge of Himel on the chest just to identify themselves.

 

[Edward]

Ah well, these paid options are now being offered by lots of German car manufacturers. I think for model badges are simply glued on, something like the "M" or "AMG". I guess some odd wealthy persons want to be "discreet: with their equally noisy exhausts. I wonder if anyone would go as far as putting a fake model badge just to hide a more power engine underneath? Like placing a 320 on an M3?

That's the way round that makes sense to me: keep it low key, don't attract too much attention. I knew a guy at school in the early 90s rebuilt a 1980 Escort (Mk II, last of the rear wheel drives) from the ground up. Made a nice job of it too, but he painted it signal amber.... stuck out so much that plod were all over him wherever he went. I remember a fad in the 80s where young guys who wanted to show off would buy a Mk III Escort Popular, then badge it as an RS2000 or XR3i or w.h.y.. My dad used to like to remark when walking past cars like that on how the owner must have been ripped off by the seller, cause you could tell by the engine noise they were lower performance models...

My theory is that they felt threatened by the japanese repro market and thought that only allowing jackets with logos would preserve their image but in fact that to me says they weren't confident enough in their product being better than the copies.

I'm not convinced of that; the Japanese repro market is mostly domestic, but people there really want 'the real thing'; that's a market where having the label (as they all have since sometime in the mid sixties, so bearing in mind for a large chunk of the Lewis 'vintage repro' market the label *is* period correct) does matter. Also, it makes it slightly harder for a counterfeit to be sold as the real thing, as it's one mored detail that has to be faked - can't just pull the label off a Rivett's Highayman - or a Leather Money - and claim it's legit. Much less likely to be concern about competing quality, far more to do with the logo / TM being the only thing that they can legally protect about the jackets.

When I wear something I don't need anyone recognising the brand I'm wearing. I don't need people to know that I've spent 1000€ in a leather jacket nor which brand is it. Not even some of the Harley Davidson jackets which are way more famous than LW have patches outside, they have labels inside but that's all.

You're certainly not alone here. The Lewis brand itself is a big deal in certain circles, though, so for some of their customer base it does matter. Equivalent of the Levis red tab, I suppose.

As for brand recognition, it is becoming more and more difficult these days, for certain 'unique' designs, yes, such as the Highwayman and the Grizzly. Like you said, unique ones. Lewis's styles are pretty generic British biker jackets, the thing is, we always refer Lewis as more of a fashion brand these days, hence it is logical for them to stick their established brand on their jackets as sort of like a QC. Anyhow, you hardly find fake Thedi, Himel or Eastman in the market and there is really no need to have a huge badge of Himel on the chest just to identify themselves.

Mn, well.... I wouldn't say Lewis were generic (for certain jackets - they of course were not the first to produce the shirt collar / straight zip style, but the Bronx and the Lightning are their own thing) so much as they were one of the key brands who were them copied - the Lewis Lighting is very much the British Schott Perfecto in that regard.

 

[Superfluous]

I wonder if anyone would go as far as putting a fake model badge just to hide a more power engine underneath? Like placing a 320 on an M3?

I don't know about that, but the opposite is very common . . . people put M and AMG badges on non-M/AMG cars all the time. Mercedes and BMW make a lot of money selling badges that are used for this illegitimate purpose.

 

[rocketeer]

I don't know about that, but the opposite is very common . . . people put M and AMG badges on non-M/AMG cars all the time. Mercedes and BMW make a lot of money selling badges that are used for this illegitimate purpose.

I went around the Nurburgring in my Peugeot 406 HDI Estate(and have photo's to prove), nothing spectacular in that, but I put the sticker on with a little self pride and gratification knowing I actually got around without crashing. A German friend assured me that the majority of cars in the area, and possibly all of Germany have the sticker but have never even sniffed the air.

 

[Superfluous]

I went around the Nurburgring in my Peugeot 406 HDI Estate(and have photo's to prove), nothing spectacular in that, but I put the sticker on with a little self pride and gratification knowing I actually got around without crashing.

Color me jealous!