I'd like to share a short making-of story for the Archetype D-pocket with all of you. Whether you're still deciding on a purchase or have already ordered, I hope reading this helps you better understand the effort we put into realizing the details of this jacket, and that this understanding contributes, even a little, to buying or simply enjoying it.
We've already put together a brief summary on the product page as well, so if you're pressed for time, that write-up may be enough.
Moving on from the name La-brea, Rebuilding the 1930s Original
La-brea is a product we've been offering. La-brea borrowed the name of Freewheelers' legendary 1930s Leather Togs D-pocket directly, a product built on respect for Freewheelers and nostalgia for that original. The jacket is wonderful in its own right. But from the standpoint of faithful reproduction, there were clearly things left wanting. When we asked ourselves whether the existing La-brea truly followed the details of the original, there was room for improvement.
Starting from that awareness, we set out to develop a new product with one goal: to bring back as much of the original 1930s D-pocket detail as possible, while making something contemporary customers could wear and enjoy with ease.
1930s details: lining, collar, zipper, pocket, sleeve, stitching, and the jacket
First, before it gets too late, I want to give my thanks once again to two people who helped so much in bringing this jacket to life. Our own materials and jackets could only take us so far, so without the active help and feedback of two people who have actually experienced and owned the vintage pieces, FreddyF9 (as he's known on the Vintage Leather Jacket Forum) and @leatherjacketjawn, this jacket could never have been made. Neither of them asked for any compensation; they gladly gave detailed feedback throughout our development process. And finally, my thanks go to Simon, who put so much into developing this beautiful jacket.
Across two rounds of sampling, on the way to the final product, the details we focused on were the lining, collar, zipper, stitching, sleeve, and pocket. In this making-of, I'll follow, one by one, how each of these details found its place through the sampling process.
It's turning into a fairly long piece, so I think I'll split it into a few parts. Let's follow each detail one at a time and see how the product evolved.
A change in lining material
This is the first sample. As you can see, there's no difference between the lining material on the body and on the sleeves. But as Freddy pointed out, on vintage pieces of the era you can see that a different material was used for the body lining and the sleeve lining.
On period Leather Togs pieces, the body tends to use a wool blanket lining, while the inside of the sleeves uses a checked flannel. Following Freddy's note, we changed the lining materials, and from the second sample onward this change was reflected. This change will be kept in the final version as well.
The placement of the label
Another detail that stands out on the original vintage is where the label sits. On the existing La-brea and the first sample, the label sits below the collar at the back of the neck, like most leather jackets.
But on the original vintage of the era, the label was usually placed below the left inner pocket. We took note of this detail and moved the placement from the second sample onward.
The face of the jacket: the collar
Now let's look from the inside of the jacket out. One of the most visually striking elements of this jacket is the collar shape you often see on double rider jackets. Can you spot the difference between each version? On the original vintage pieces, you can see the collar tips are slightly rounded. This was a point both Freddy and Jon commonly raised. On the existing La-brea and the first sample, you'll notice the collar looks a little pointed.
Beyond the collar tips, another decisive difference is the angle of the collar. On original vintage pieces, when you zip the main zipper up to about chest height, the collar tips tend to sit almost level with the ground, or even rise above it.
And the flap-like part below the main collar, the part that covers the chest when zipped, extends longer out to the sides.
What we agonized over most was reproducing exactly this collar shape of the original vintage. The collar is one of the most important elements in setting the mood of a jacket. The original vintage is a jacket where, when worn, the full collar shape and the large D-pocket beneath it strike a visual balance that gives it a unique charm. I'll be so glad if that feeling comes across to our customers.
To be continued in Part 2