Worn to be wild

We look at the history of one of the most iconic parts of motorcycling culture: the black leather jacket

The black leather jacket. Without any further description, these words conjure up images of rebellion and rock ’n’ roll. Even variations on the classic form exude a ‘don’t mess with me’ attitude. But where did it all begin, and how did a simple garment become so culturally charged?  

The black leather biker jacket has its roots in protective leather garments of the early 20th century. With the advent of open-cockpit transportation such as motoring and aviation, leather coats became popular for men and women, and could be purchased through speciality catalogues and major department stores alike.  

Motorcyclists were early proponents of leather clothing, and by the 1920s Harley- Davidson^® was offering a three-quarterlength coat, along with a shorter ‘sport jacket’ through its Parts & Accessories catalogue. The sport jacket styles remained a popular form of outerwear throughout the ’30s and ’40s.  

During WWII, the flight jacket had a profound influence on the evolution of the leather biker jacket, both in its design and as a canvas for personalisation. Flight crews often painted jackets with logos and names that matched those painted on the noses of their planes.  

As servicemen returned home, the jacket styles offered to civilians solidified into a classic waist-length, form-fitting design that offered functional details like a zippered ‘D’ pocket, tapered sleeves with zipped wrists, and collar snaps. Both men’s and women’s styles were readily available.  

Harley-Davidson offered its first version of what became the classic ‘Cycle Champ’ in 1947 in horsehide. Accessories companies such as Buco and Beck – as well as leather speciality shops such as Langlitz, Trojan, and Schott – all sold variations of the classic style alongside national brands such as Sears, J.C. Penney and Montgomery Ward.

During this same time, the black leather jacket began to take on a host of cultural meanings. It has become Hollywood’s fallback costume for both good and bad ‘toughs’ for the past six decades, ever since Marlon Brando rode on to the screen in the 1953 classic The Wild One. Arnold Schwarzenegger famously wore one while riding a Fat Boy^® in Terminator 2. A jacket designed for the 2011 production The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a great example of how a black leather jacket can lend extra edge to harden a character, whether he or she rides or not.  

The black leather jacket also became a natural uniform for rock stars who epitomised counter-cultural rebellion. Since the early days of rock, it has cut across a wide spectrum of genres, from Judas Priest to Justin Bieber. Early adopters included Elvis Presley, who was pictured many times wearing his mid-’50s J.C. Penney-brand jacket. Of course, who could forget one of the most famous pieces of Hollywood satire – a jacket worn by the character Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer) in the 1984 cult classic This Is Spinal Tap.  

Hollywood starlets walk the red carpet wearing them. Fashion designers juxtapose them with delicate dresses. Season after season, biker jackets are a staple in most chain retailers. Bikers around the world still love them. Why? Because some styles go beyond fashion to the timelessness of legend. The black leather jacket is one of them.

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