The First Jacket.

[sshack]

I remember watching Empire of the Sun in the late '80's. A lot of the story was over my head at the time, not really a kid's movie. A GREAT adult's movie. But the scene I remember the most was when Jim (young Christian Bale) got his hands on a leather flight jacket. I had no idea what kind it was (I've read a Schott G1, but now evidence it was an Aero!), but I just knew it looked freakin' cool. And I wanted one. A lot.

I still don't have a G1 in my collection, I prefer the A2 these days. But that was the first jacket that lit the fuse.

 

[zebedee]

You should read J.G. Ballard's novels if you like the film. 'Cocaine Nights' is particularly good. I don't recall the exact first jacket that kicked the habit off for me, but the 'Empire of the Sun' one is an inspired piece of costuming.

 

[sshack]

You should read J.G. Ballard's novels if you like the film. 'Cocaine Nights' is particularly good. I don't recall the exact first jacket that kicked the habit off for me, but the 'Empire of the Sun' one is an inspired piece of costuming.

Thanks, I'm always looking for my next read!

 

[zebedee]

Thanks, I'm always looking for my next read!

Ballard was quite mad, but also foresaw a lot of the 'concept tribalism' that currently affects Western societies. He was definitely on the ball when it came to the barely-suppressed antagonism of class divisions in UK society. 'High Rise' is a good one for that (although the film is blunt to the extent that the director may as well have skim-read the novel).

 

[handymike]

My first was inspired by a photo of Nina Hagen’s teenage husband Iroquois (1987).

It was probably a Schott, but I was living in Italy as a foreign exchange student & didn’t have any $$ or access. A local craftswoman made me this jacket from a cowhide tanned by my host father:

The elk tooth was made by my grandfather, and the locks are from my luggage at the time. I’d still wear it if it didn’t have shoulder pads.

 

[Aloysius]

My first was inspired by a photo of Nina Hagen’s teenage husband Iroquois (1987).
View attachment 515353
It was probably a Schott, but I was living in Italy as a foreign exchange student & didn’t have any $$ or access. A local craftswoman made me this jacket from a cowhide tanned by my host father:
View attachment 515352
The elk tooth was made by my grandfather, and the locks are from my luggage at the time. I’d still wear it if it didn’t have shoulder pads.

The proportions of this are spot on, including the pocket shape, size, positioning! Pretty surprising considering how it was made. A member here tried to get a Perfecto made via photo reference and this is how it turned out. I would have expected the same if you’d recounted this story without the photo.

 

[handymike]

She did a fantastic job! It even has 2in of front drop. Once I got back to California I lusted after Schotts, but mine fit better as it was “bespoke” tailored.

 

[Hide'n'seek]

Fantastic film. The jacket in question wasn't actually a Schott but was in fact a very early Aero . One of Aero's first "film " jackets. Here is the letter / order from Warner Bros ordering the jacket ( through our London stockist at the time )

 

[handymike]

Wow, that is so cool!