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How many new jackets do you have coming (and how many potential ones)?

Guppy

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,536
Location
Cleveland, OH
Just snagged this one from vintage/thrift seller Northern Grip. Their description doesn't have a lot of info, and says it's 80s vintage, but I question that -- the label inside looks more like something you'd see in the 60s or 50s, to me, and the leather looks nicer than what you'd see in a typical 80s jacket. The price was right for me to take a chance on it. Does anybody know anything about Chipie Products? Zipper slide is left-side, and it's coming from Europe, so I assume it's a european maker.
 

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Last edited by a moderator:
Messages
17,469
Just snagged this one from vintage/thrift seller Northern Grip. Their description doesn't have a lot of info, and says it's 80s vintage, but I question that -- the label inside looks more like something you'd see in the 60s or 50s, to me, and the leather looks nicer than what you'd see in a typical 80s jacket. The price was right for me to take a chance on it. Does anybody know anything about Chipie Products? Zipper slide is left-side, and it's coming from Europe, so I assume it's a european maker.

I love this jacket but it indeed is late 1980's or early 90's piece, produced in France. I think it's a very high quality jacket and it's been made during the initial Americana craze (back when Lee Trevor started) but yeah. In any case, I've been looking at it for a long while but ultimately decided I would rarely wear it.

Northern Grip is notoriously clueless at identifying leather jackets. I've so far seen two true 50's USA made jackets pass thru their hands for pocket change, both advertised as "90's leather jacket".
 

Guppy

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,536
Location
Cleveland, OH
I love this jacket but it indeed is late 1980's or early 90's piece, produced in France. I think it's a very high quality jacket and it's been made during the initial Americana craze (back when Lee Trevor started) but yeah. In any case, I've been looking at it for a long while but ultimately decided I would rarely wear it.

Northern Grip is notoriously clueless at identifying leather jackets. I've so far seen two true 50's USA made jackets pass thru their hands for pocket change, both advertised as "90's leather jacket".
Thanks for the info. I had a feeling you might have some knowledge about it.

Northern Grip's website has really high resolution images, and I took advantage to zoom way, way in. The grain on the leather looks phenomenal up close, as good as what I have seen on Aero, Langlitz, and Vanson, but I don't think it's that thick.

I even tried to make out the printing on the label and maybe was able to read it, I think it says

"A Chipie Product/
Smarter(?) _________ Leather Wear /
Since 1967"

I'll just have to be patient and see what it says in person. I wonder if Chipie is a reference to Chippewa, which is an Indian tribe that lived in the Midwest and gave their name to several grog regions. I also wonder if the information on manufacturer's tags are just part of the branding and not really accurate information.

And it's really hard to tell for sure, but I think the main zipper pull looks like a YKK. Which makes 80s more likely.

In any case, Northern Grip does occasionally have a real find at a very good price. I hate letting that be known because you just know it's going to get scoured now. Or they'll raise prices. Or go out of business.
 
Last edited:

barnabus

One Too Many
Messages
1,854
Location
Britain's oldest recorded town
Thanks for the info. I had a feeling you might have some knowledge about it.

Northern Grip's website has really high resolution images, and I took advantage to zoom way, way in. The grain on the leather looks phenomenal up close, as good as what I have seen on Aero, Langlitz, and Vanson, but I don't think it's that thick.

I even tried to make out the printing on the label and maybe was able to read it, I think it says

"A Chipie Product/
Smarter(?) _________ Leather Wear /
Since 1967"

I'll just have to be patient and see what it says in person. I wonder if Chipie is a reference to Chippewa, which is an Indian tribe that lived in the Midwest and gave their name to several grog regions. I also wonder if the information on manufacturer's tags are just part of the branding and not really accurate information.

And it's really hard to tell for sure, but I think the main zipper pull looks like a YKK. Which makes 80s more likely.

In any case, Northern Grip does occasionally have a real find at a very good price. I hate letting that be known because you just know it's going to get scoured now. Or they'll raise prices. Or go out of business.

Chipie was (is?) a Euro fashion brand that was big in the 80s/90s iirc.
 
Messages
17,469
Thanks for the info. I had a feeling you might have some knowledge about it.

Northern Grip's website has really high resolution images, and I took advantage to zoom way, way in. The grain on the leather looks phenomenal up close, as good as what I have seen on Aero, Langlitz, and Vanson, but I don't think it's that thick.

I even tried to make out the printing on the label and maybe was able to read it, I think it says

"A Chipie Product/
Smarter(?) _________ Leather Wear /
Since 1967"

I'll just have to be patient and see what it says in person. I wonder if Chipie is a reference to Chippewa, which is an Indian tribe that lived in the Midwest and gave their name to several grog regions. I also wonder if the information on manufacturer's tags are just part of the branding and not really accurate information.

And it's really hard to tell for sure, but I think the main zipper pull looks like a YKK. Which makes 80s more likely.

In any case, Northern Grip does occasionally have a real find at a very good price. I hate letting that be known because you just know it's going to get scoured now. Or they'll raise prices. Or go out of business.

It'll be a good jacket, don't worry about it. Europe scarcely had bad leather up until the nineties but then some major **** hit the market. But these better makers all still used superior leather that was regularly heavier than the US stuff of the same era. You're good in any case but I'd love to see more of that jacket once it arrives!
 

Guppy

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,536
Location
Cleveland, OH
It'll be a good jacket, don't worry about it. Europe scarcely had bad leather up until the nineties but then some major **** hit the market. But these better makers all still used superior leather that was regularly heavier than the US stuff of the same era. You're good in any case but I'd love to see more of that jacket once it arrives!

Good to hear. You can just tell by the grain in the pictures when zoomed in all the way that this was not a low-quality affair. I'm planning on doing a photo shoot and put up a thread for it when it gets here. Hopefully sometime next week, I imagine, depending on customs. FedEx shipments usually pass through customs pretty quickly.
 
Messages
17,469
For no particular reason whatsoever, I just wanna share some pics of what is currently my favorite wardrobe accessory ever, a wallet @JMax kindly proxied for me a while ago... It's a really nice wallet, leather is seriously out of this world and it fits all the **** I need to carry around. Thanks again, man!

Oh, and the background is an Excelled diagonal zip jacket.

20220514-132723.jpg

20220514-132626.jpg

20220514-132631.jpg

20220514-132646.jpg

20220514-132651.jpg

20220514-132656.jpg

20220514-132710.jpg
 
Messages
10,926
For no particular reason whatsoever, I just wanna share some pics of what is currently my favorite wardrobe accessory ever, a wallet @JMax kindly proxied for me a while ago... It's a really nice wallet, leather is seriously out of this world and it fits all the **** I need to carry around. Thanks again, man!

Oh, and the background is an Excelled diagonal zip jacket.

20220514-132723.jpg

20220514-132626.jpg

20220514-132631.jpg

20220514-132646.jpg

20220514-132651.jpg

20220514-132656.jpg

20220514-132710.jpg

My knowledge of wallets is limited, but my brother has some kind of Mushman’s HH wallet— and this is nicer. It’s much nicer than my Vanson wallet. I do have some experience with different hides, this hide is amazing.

Glad I could help.
 

TooManyHatsOnlyOneHead

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,305
So I'm hesitant to use the most meaningless words on here "I'm done", but I think with this one and my upcoming Field Leathers jacket, I'm pretty much there. The combo checks off a lot of wish list items for me and with a couple other recent pick ups, I can't imagine what else I'd want without getting beyond gluttonous in the leather jacket world. In fact, I really need to shed a few, but I think that'll be next year once everything gets a deep test drive and I can just focus on my favs and narrow it down to a top 10 (even that sounds nuts)

In the meantime, great deal on this. RMC or at least this model, this particular jacket, has lived up to the hype for me. Leather, cut, workmanship, etc. all top notch. Got a great deal on it, fit picks in a couple weeks once it gets some wears. That collar, oh boy, need to figure out what to do with it, maybe Farrah Fawcett hair flip style.

20220513_164442.jpg
 
Messages
10,926
So I'm hesitant to use the most meaningless words on here "I'm done", but I think with this one and my upcoming Field Leathers jacket, I'm pretty much there. The combo checks off a lot of wish list items for me and with a couple other recent pick ups, I can't imagine what else I'd want without getting beyond gluttonous in the leather jacket world. In fact, I really need to shed a few, but I think that'll be next year once everything gets a deep test drive and I can just focus on my favs and narrow it down to a top 10 (even that sounds nuts)

In the meantime, great deal on this. RMC or at least this model, this particular jacket, has lived up to the hype for me. Leather, cut, workmanship, etc. all top notch. Got a great deal on it, fit picks in a couple weeks once it gets some wears. That collar, oh boy, need to figure out what to do with it, maybe Farrah Fawcett hair flip style.

View attachment 426152

One of my favorite Buco design.
 

morrison2951

Practically Family
Messages
703
Location
F-V, NC
So I'm hesitant to use the most meaningless words on here "I'm done", but I think with this one and my upcoming Field Leathers jacket, I'm pretty much there. The combo checks off a lot of wish list items for me and with a couple other recent pick ups, I can't imagine what else I'd want without getting beyond gluttonous in the leather jacket world. In fact, I really need to shed a few, but I think that'll be next year once everything gets a deep test drive and I can just focus on my favs and narrow it down to a top 10 (even that sounds nuts)

In the meantime, great deal on this. RMC or at least this model, this particular jacket, has lived up to the hype for me. Leather, cut, workmanship, etc. all top notch. Got a great deal on it, fit picks in a couple weeks once it gets some wears. That collar, oh boy, need to figure out what to do with it, maybe Farrah Fawcett hair flip style.

View attachment 426152

You and me both.

With my most recent vintage Wolf 40's H-B acquisition and its top shelf condition, what more could I need?? ;)
 

Canuck Panda

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,010
So I'm hesitant to use the most meaningless words on here "I'm done", but I think with this one and my upcoming Field Leathers jacket, I'm pretty much there. The combo checks off a lot of wish list items for me and with a couple other recent pick ups, I can't imagine what else I'd want without getting beyond gluttonous in the leather jacket world. In fact, I really need to shed a few, but I think that'll be next year once everything gets a deep test drive and I can just focus on my favs and narrow it down to a top 10 (even that sounds nuts)

In the meantime, great deal on this. RMC or at least this model, this particular jacket, has lived up to the hype for me. Leather, cut, workmanship, etc. all top notch. Got a great deal on it, fit picks in a couple weeks once it gets some wears. That collar, oh boy, need to figure out what to do with it, maybe Farrah Fawcett hair flip style.

View attachment 426152
Very nice jacket. Looks brand new.
 

TooManyHatsOnlyOneHead

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,305
Very nice jacket. Looks brand new.
seller said 5 wears and I have no reason to doubt it. It's breaking in fast too with just 3 all day wears by me. Getting teacore breakthrough on the belt loops and belt edges already. I sped up the arm creases with some water, but I think body and sleeve teacore is going to take a lot of effort. If temps behave, I'll take some fit pics this weekend. This is going to be the first black jacket I grab out of my closet. Fit is divine and just has everything I wanted. With some luck, the Field leather jacket I'm spec'ing will do the exact same thing but in brown. And that's my one two punch. Then I'm going to really try and shrink the collection down to a handful or two of varied jackets for different looks and ****zengiggles. Just need to stay off the classifieds LOL, I can't resist a good deal, but I'm starting to learn I can really like something, without having to own it.
 

Canuck Panda

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,010
seller said 5 wears and I have no reason to doubt it. It's breaking in fast too with just 3 all day wears by me. Getting teacore breakthrough on the belt loops and belt edges already. I sped up the arm creases with some water, but I think body and sleeve teacore is going to take a lot of effort. If temps behave, I'll take some fit pics this weekend. This is going to be the first black jacket I grab out of my closet. Fit is divine and just has everything I wanted. With some luck, the Field leather jacket I'm spec'ing will do the exact same thing but in brown. And that's my one two punch. Then I'm going to really try and shrink the collection down to a handful or two of varied jackets for different looks and ****zengiggles. Just need to stay off the classifieds LOL, I can't resist a good deal, but I'm starting to learn I can really like something, without having to own it.
Jackpot! The body is hard to patina eh, especially the front part, the back patinas much faster with just car rides. Gotta share your secrets when you get them teacore coming through!
The JH-1 is an awesome design. I was gonna ask which design for your FL… haha. Brown Shinki is probably the best leather choice at FL now. Greg is very picky about his leather quality. There were really only two brown Shinki jackets before his current brown leather restock. Good brown Shinki is hard to get.
I agree on less is more. I really only wear my basic m500 jacket 90% of the time now. But it’s hard to go cold turkey and thin down 90% of the collection that I only wear less than 10% of the time. It would take a lot of mindfulness training, but I’ll get there.
I can’t wait to see your two JH-1 jackets together. That would be very special!
 

TooManyHatsOnlyOneHead

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,305
Jackpot! The body is hard to patina eh, especially the front part, the back patinas much faster with just car rides. Gotta share your secrets when you get them teacore coming through!
The JH-1 is an awesome design. I was gonna ask which design for your FL… haha. Brown Shinki is probably the best leather choice at FL now. Greg is very picky about his leather quality. There were really only two brown Shinki jackets before his current brown leather restock. Good brown Shinki is hard to get.
I agree on less is more. I really only wear my basic m500 jacket 90% of the time now. But it’s hard to go cold turkey and thin down 90% of the collection that I only wear less than 10% of the time. It would take a lot of mindfulness training, but I’ll get there.
I can’t wait to see your two JH-1 jackets together. That would be very special!
yeah, it's hard to give up a jacket that you like, fits well, was hard to track down, etc. etc. Luckily I have 2 growing sons, so my best option is probably to just hang on to everything and let them have dibs when they're ready for it. In the meantime, have fun wearing stuff. I'm a little redundant with the belted cross zips now, but everything else is fairly varied. I also have 3 shearlings for some reason LOL, but I actually wear them the most believe it or not. They work great in short bursts for walking the dog, dropping kids off at school. Anything early morning when you don't want to layer and just throw on something warm when you get out bed.

For FL, when I started on the wait list about 9 months ago, I was going to get a J82 style black aniline with some tweaks, most importantly no action back. But then I started seeing pics of the brown pony and I also landed a 613sh, so I just realized what I need most is a brown jacket with some wow factor. I sold off some in my collection and only really have the Sheene which is ok but very trim and so becomes too situational unfortunately. So I'm looking for that go to brown jacket now. Will most likely be a d pocket design with some adjustments to the lapels and collar, very simple and showcasing Greg's construction abilities. Might do a more ornate D pocket, detachable mutton collar, and another piece of flare or two. We'll see, 3 months to go, might change my mind again LOL.
 

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