Who made this jacket?

[TheGuitarFairy]

hi friends,
picked this guy up recently and don't really know who made it. gentleman i bought it from was an english expat who told me he purchased it from lewis leathers in london in the early 80s. while it certainly looks "lewis-esque" there's no label (other than a size tag: "40"/102cm"). guy said it never had one (?) and it doesn't look exactly like any of their models. also, it has ykk zips.
thanks for the help!
.

 

[feltfan]

It's very nice and in exceptional condition!

 

[robrinay]

You could try asking Lewis Leathers. They've been very good in identifying a couple of jackets for me that had no labels, confirming that both were Lewis - but sadly they won't supply new labels for them. Go to their website and send pics. Cheers Rob

webshop@lewisleathers.com

 

[rocketeer]

Looks British though certainly not Lewis Leathers,I take it, it is blue. I have one almost exactly the same. So how can it be 'almost' exactly the same I hear you say. Well now, mine has all the same details except one. This looks to be a 1980s version of a standard lancer motorcycle jacket, you can age it roughly by the big chunky zips and the zip cross over as this has an insert where a zip would be fitted for a woman jacket style, the ladies version zipping right to left shoulder(as wearing the garment) This is a mans jacket.
A 1960s/70s jacket would have the whole front as just a two piece, the front main part of the shell being made from a larger piece of leather, this version being able to use a smaller piece.
I say British as the style has no key/change, or as I like to say, condom pocket as featured on most American style jackets. Would be interesting to see the label, mine is an old Rivetts of Leytonstone(London). Post thinking, Lewis did go down in style and quality, they took over Kett at some point as the decades wore on so the YKK zips may have been used but the lack of a label says not Lewis.
Would look nice if you have a 1970s - early 80s Jap two stroke to go with it. Kawasaki Mach III by any chance?

 

[rocketeer]

Just about every single 'British' jacket I have picked up is supposedly a Lewis these days. They did make quality up to the 1970s but 1980s? Like the British motorbike industry as a whole......on the way out.

 

[robrinay]

Check for an oval shape in ghost stitching at the top of each sleeve and each breast - where a Lewis badge may have been removed. And as I said above ask Lewis for a definative answer. They're quite fast at responding and have a large archive of catalogues which include deleted styles.
webshop@lewisleathers.com

 

[Monitor]

An influx of these most iconic Lewis Leathers designs flooded the British and the European market during the 70's and the 80's and I'm pretty certain that's one those. Granted, not even this seemingly trademark LL design was actually invented by them, it's origin just as shrouded in marketing obfuscation and general disinformation like the one of Schott Perfecto.

In any case, I'm pretty sure it's not LL. To begin with YKK's but what Rocketeer says, they might've been using them at some point so... A telltale sign for me is the zipper piping which is something I've never seen an LL jacket without while the zippers on this jacket are exposed. Also, all the zippers are of the same size, another thing LL would never do. Quilted sleeve but not the shoulder also looks weird... Is the quilted part padded? Otherwise it looks well made.

So, could be anything, really. TT Leathers at best, made in India/Pakistan cheapo at worst. Worst in terms of market value, I mean. Otherwise, many good jackets arrived from there.
But yeah, LL never really deviated from their pattern this much...

 

[TheGuitarFairy]

thank you fellas, you guys are killer ...

your views were confirmed by lewis themselves: not one of theirs tho' apparently well made, probably from the 80s etc etc ...
it wasn't expensive and i wasn't convinced it was a lewis (also because of ykk's and exposed zippers, hey i'm learning! ) so i'm fine w/ this. it doesn't fit me nor my lady so you'll probably see it up on ebay as fodder for another jacket. thanks again!

ps, rocketeer, there's no label (nor any evidence of one) save for a small 40"/102cm tag. thank you for your thoughtful reply.

 

[rocketeer]

Nice Even nicer with a 70s 2 stroke Suzuki T500 or Kawasaki triple.

I sold a friends 1980s made to measure Lewis a few years ago. Though well made, the quality of the leather really made it just another leather bike jacket not a patch on the 60 or even early 70s quality.

 

[rocketeer]

Check for an oval shape in ghost stitching at the top of each sleeve and each breast - where a Lewis badge may have been removed. And as I said above ask Lewis for a definative answer. They're quite fast at responding and have a large archive of catalogues which include deleted styles.
webshop@lewisleathers.com

You can get serious money for real rubbish Lewis jackets, flaking, scuffed torn, crumbly leather. I have had a couple, Highwayman are good sellers as well. Often the labels turn up on cheaper jackets such as Mascots etc. There is always someone ready to try it on.
Whenever I look at one and notice the slightly iffy patch, the vendor telling me "Lewis Leather, if you don't want it it's going on eBay tonight" I look at him/her wistfully and hand it back with maybe a "Good luck" or a rather whimsical "I'll leave it to a serious collector, but thanks for showing it to me"
Thats probably why Lewis would not sell you a label, as I doubt would Eastman or Aero.

 

[robrinay]

Of course you are correct in general terms - but my point was - simple disappointment - I had a jacket with their provenance by email including their testimony it was a Lewis along with a picture of the jacket in their 1970s catalogue. I offered to send the jacket to them for their label to be attached by them still no joy. Nothing can stop dishonest sellers from backstitching a Lewis label from a cheap pair of Lewis jeans or trousers onto a looky likey jacket with Clix Riri or Lightning zips. I may be wrong but I'm fairly sure Aero Leathers would have 'repaired' a genuine Aero jacket sans label with the correct period label if I'd sent the jacket to them.

 

[rocketeer]

Of course you are correct in general terms - but my point was - simple disappointment - I had a jacket with their provenance by email including their testimony it was a Lewis along with a picture of the jacket in their 1970s catalogue. I offered to send the jacket to them for their label to be attached by them still no joy. Nothing can stop dishonest sellers from backstitching a Lewis label from a cheap pair of Lewis jeans or trousers onto a looky likey jacket with Clix Riri or Aero zips. I may be wrong but I'm fairly sure Aero Leathers would have 'repaired' a genuine Aero jacket sans label with the correct period label if I'd sent the jacket to them.

Yes I think Aero would put a new label in. I thought Lewis would too to be honest as long as they did it and was for their jacket, quite surprising they would not.
Either way enjoy or sell on to enjoy something else

 

[Monitor]

Of course you are correct in general terms - but my point was - simple disappointment - I had a jacket with their provenance by email including their testimony it was a Lewis along with a picture of the jacket in their 1970s catalogue. I offered to send the jacket to them for their label to be attached by them still no joy. Nothing can stop dishonest sellers from backstitching a Lewis label from a cheap pair of Lewis jeans or trousers onto a looky likey jacket with Clix Riri or Aero zips. I may be wrong but I'm fairly sure Aero Leathers would have 'repaired' a genuine Aero jacket sans label with the correct period label if I'd sent the jacket to them.

I wanted to do the same. I have the original LL, early 70's piece, as good as it gets - they confirmed it's theirs and all, it has a chest patch and everything and they still don't want to put on a label! Worst part is, the jacket in all likelihood had that generic GENUINE LEATHER label they used back then, not even the nice LL one...

 

[ton312]

I was going to say Wolff leathers. Mainly due to the maroon quilted lining, which I've seen on a number of their jackets. The best part about having a no label jacket is you don't have to second guess it's value. You can simply take it as it is and enjoy it!

 

[Monitor]

I was going to say Wolff leathers. Mainly due to the maroon quilted lining, which I've seen on a number of their jackets. The best part about having a no label jacket is you don't have to second guess it's value. You can simply take it as it is and enjoy it!

That's true. I've only been truly happy with jackets that had no label. Couldn't sell 'em, didn't care if something happened to them... All that I could do was to wear and enjoy them. They're not friend proof, tho so sofar, I've given each one away.