Tony Nowak Surrogates Jacket

[mb1101]

here are some image of my Surrogates jacket from Tony Nowak:

 

[HDRnR]

Nice half belt, what type of leather is it ?

 

[mb1101]

leather is cowhide

 

[captaincaveman1]

Great jacket. Perfect fit. Custom job?

 

[Creeping Past]

It looks very good. It's not on the man's site, so was this custom? And may I ask how much?

 

[mb1101]

this jacket should be on Tony's site as he did the original that Bruce Willis wears in Surrogates.

 

[Creeping Past]

this jacket should be on Tony's site as he did the original that Bruce Willis wears in Surrogates.

Hmm, but it's not. It wasn't some months back: it's absence was discussed in this FL thread.

 

[mb1101]

the jacket is pictured on the bottom of Tony's homepage, to order it you have to contact him.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Looks great but it seems considerably shorter than the way BW wears his in the film. Was that on purpose? I'd say his goes up to 3-4 inches over his belt.

 

[BellyTank]

It still looks to me, like the Bruce Willis/movie jacket is an original,
vintage jacket.

The jacket in this thread looks like a new jacket.


See the difference.


B
T

 

[feltfan]

Hard to believe the original isn't vintage with that wear.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Jacket Wear

Yes the wear on customer Nowaks always look different. A film jacket would get Tony's distressing work plus the studio's, I would imagine. They would take hours over it. It would not be economically viable for TN to do that for each customer jacket.

I also think that the film jackets are treated with acid and all sorts of harsh things that would mean it would not last as long for real life wear as a more prudently distressed one.

 

[AngryNJ]

I came close to ordering one of these from Nowak, but have decided to get an aero instead. I still dont quite know which aero would be closer to this style... the plain halfbelt or the 50s halfbelt..

 

[feltfan]

I think this might be closest:

http://www.goodwearleather.com/pages/gwcalventura_images1.html

I was thinking of John's Monarch civilian jacket, but it appears
he has decided not to offer that jacket in favor of this one.
Interesting. It was based on the jacket shown here:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showpost.php?p=550688&postcount=269

 

[Seb Lucas]

I came close to ordering one of these from Nowak, but have decided to get an aero instead. I still dont quite know which aero would be closer to this style... the plain halfbelt or the 50s halfbelt..

Try for a vintage - it was a standard design in horsehide. Many thousands were produced and you wouldn't have to age it!

Mind you, you can see what Nowak has done to the jacket in terms of design in both the film and some photos. He has given the jacket wider shoulders than you would find on a period 1950's jacket. And check out the film. BW's jacket is worn longer than most people wear their Aeros. Although in this photo earlier it looks shorter than in other shots.

 

[westinghouse]

Is this jacket worth the $975 price Nowak wants? Should I just buy an Aero 30's halfbelt in seal brown midweight horsehide for $715? Those are my options right now. Please give me your opinions.

 

[tonypaj]

Is this jacket worth the $975 price Nowak wants? Should I just buy an Aero 30's halfbelt in seal brown midweight horsehide for $715? Those are my options right now. Please give me your opinions.

No. Yes.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I just read that Tony Nowak passed away while on Vacation in Italy.

 

[bendingoak]

Yes, Tony did indeed pass away.

To answer a question in this thread. His jackets are well worth what he was asking. I have a CS jacket from him and it is well above any leather jacket I have owned or seen. In material and craftsmanship.

I thought in Tony's memory I would share this with everyone.

Last December my family ( wife, 10 year old son, sister and her 17 year old son and I) all came together to go on a holiday cruise to mexico. On the trip down to southern California we stopped in to visit with Tony to get sizes up for a CS jacket.

Here's a shot with Tony and I in his shop during this visit. I have this same shot hanging in my hat shop.

My kid was eyeballing a jacket that Tony had laying around his shop. It was a Ugly Doll letterman jacket. He said to Terry " come here you have to try it on." John, Take a photo for him." My kid is crazy over these things. The ugly Doll jacket was for the creator and his crew who make the dolls and toys (A private order).


Here's the photo

He was so giving of himself and his time. He played and joked with the two boys. He gave both of them jackets. He gave Malcolm ( my sisters kid) a Arnolds classic 2009 jacket just to get him to smile. He asked me why don't kids smile any more. Ok he used some of my favorite 4 letter words but I thought I would clean it up some. He gave my son Terry a Joe Weider jacket. When he was searching for a jacket Terry's size he whispered to me " don't worry I won't let Terry feel left out, I got a jacket for him."

Here they are with their jackets.

Then we got down to getting all my information for my jacket. Had me try on a couple, I tried on one very special jacket. Got all the details worked out and he took a few photo's with us. Now since I got back from my trip I had received many phone calls and I would say only 2 of them where about my order. the jacket was great when I got it and you can read the thread about it in it's own thread.

The story of how giving Tony doesn't end here. My kids birthday is on March 5th. I thought what a great gift it would be if I bought terry a Ugly Doll letter mans jacket from Tony. I called him up and asked what the price was. He said " John I can't do this." " I can't sell these jackets.'' Then it dawned on me what he was saying. It's a private order and he doesn't have the rights to the jacket. He then says " I will make it for him" " It will be my gift to him." I said I couldn't take it and it was to much. He then said " I have to do this, it's his birthday.'' he then asked when his birthday was as to make sure he had it in my hands in time for the big day. He made me promise not to tell anyone about this and I am a man of my word. I wouldn't want Tony to get into trouble over a kids jacket but since the recent news I thought maybe Tony wouldn't mind.

Here's terry in his jacket that he so wanted and Tony mad this little guy very happy. terry made him a really nice Ugly Doll card with this photo in it (Terry's idea).

I don't know him like his personal friends he had close to him but he sure had a way of making you feel like he knew you for years after just meeting him, thats just Tony. What a wonderful man and a kind giving person. You will be missed.

Now I have to go tell Terry when he gets home. Not something I look forward to do.

 

[crismans]

I came close to ordering one of these from Nowak, but have decided to get an aero instead. I still dont quite know which aero would be closer to this style... the plain halfbelt or the 50s halfbelt..

I did a little research on this and I think the 50s halfbelt with a button cuff construction would be closest. I had thought to go a different route but then thought, "Why don't I just go with Tony, get exactly what I want, and be done with it?"

But now...