Aero Leather Articles.

[Sloan1874]

Hi there. Just thought I'd post a few articles on Aero Leather from the past couple of decades that I found - they were dug up from my work's cuttings system (well, what else are you supposed to do during lunch?) and I've not seen them elsewhere on the web, and you don't get many pieces on Will or the company, so they may be of interest.

I had posted them on the Belstaff or Aero thread, but it was suggested that they should constitute a new subject in their own right. As these don't exist on-line (or at least, not found easily) I've reproduced the three articles 'as is', in three separate posts, to make them a little digestible:


HIDE AND CHIC - FASHION - SCOTLAND - AERO LEATHERS.

24 April 1994

The Sunday Times

MARLON Brando wore a Wild One as a leather-clad motorcycle rebel. Cary Grant was a hidebound hunk in a US Air Force A2 standard issue. Classic leather jackets are pure Hollywood but some of the best these days are made in the Scottish Borders.

Aero Leathers (as in aeroplanes, not chocolate bars) are a range of leather jackets based on original US military and airforce designs. They are made in Galashiels, and such careful individual craftsmanship is lavished on each garment that they come with a lifetime guarantee.

Ken Calder, co-founder in 1985 of the Transatlantic Clothing Company which makes Aero jackets, likes to treat 'em rough. He has around half a dozen jackets in his wardrobe, including one he has used as a blanket for tinkering under the car. Despite oil spills, it still looks good.

But Calder dismisses any suggestion that the leather look is purely for tough guys. His team of 30 turns out around 10,000 a year, for all kinds of customers who can enjoy their stylish lines and durability.

"The youngest person we ever made one for was a six-month-old, and we have had 70-year-olds buying our jackets why not? With a blanket lining, they're very warm and practical."

They look good on girls, too. The new Veste des Rallye style in hardwearing horsehide design, based on the car coats of the 1960s and influenced by the Mini-Cooper's momentous appearance at the 1964 Monte Carlo rally, is endorsed by Louise Aitken-Walker, the former Ladies World Rally Champion, who hails from Duns.

Calder and his colleagues scour the world for top-quality materials heavy steerhide from Alaska, sheepskin from Canada, horse-hide tanned and shipped over from the US. Almost as much attention is given to the linings imported Peruvian alpaca wool, silk, and a rich source of tartans from the multitude of local mills.

Last year the company won a Queens' Award for export achievement. Calder puts its success down to scrupulous attention to detail. Each jacket is produced by a single machinist, from the first to the last stitch.

Nearly half the jackets are donned by the quality-conscious Japanese, amounting to more than 1% of Britain's entire exports to Japan. There are also Aero lovers in Germany, France, America and Italy "Imagine that! Selling leather to the Italians!" enthuses Calder as well as a growing following in the UK, where stockists include Sam Walker in London's classy Covent Garden.

What Calder refuses to do is to ruin the classic lines of his jackets with gaudy logos. "I don't like them. They're a kiss of death."

 

[Sloan1874]

Second article:
Famous label fears threat from 'pirates'.

30 September 1999

The Scotsman

THE Scottish manufacturer of exclusive leather jackets worn by top musicians and film stars claims his textile business could go under after he was told nothing could be done to stop French competitors allegedly pirating his world famous Aero label.

Despite a lengthy investigation to track down the copycats, Ken Calder has been told trading standards officers in the London borough of Kensington and Chelsea will not be taking action to protect his business.

Mr Calder's military-style leather fashions sell for between #600 and #800 each and carry the same Aero tag that was stitched into thousands of bomber jackets worn by American fighter pilots in the Second World War. He claims securing the global rights to use the Aero name cost him "an absolute fortune".

But Redskin, a rival French company, has incensed Mr Calder by marketing leather jackets bearing the words Aero Leather Corporation. Its UK agent says it has done nothing wrong and refutes the accusations levelled at Redskin.

Mr Calder's Galashiels-based Transatlantic Clothing uses horse hides from Chicago and alpaca wool from Peru to create the highly-prized jackets which are indestructible.

He has been producing leatherwear since the early 1960s when he set up his first business in London's Portobello Road, specialising in the renovation of second-hand US clothing.

Rock music icons Jimi Hendrix, Steven Stills and Keith Richard as well as the Small Faces all wore Calder creations. He also fashioned Suzi Quatro's biker image.

Horsehide was used extensively in jacket manufacture until the American government banned the killing of horses for meat and leather during the 1950s. Textile firms were forced to switch to other materials and the skills needed for tanning and working the extremely thick hides was almost lost.

But when Mr Calder discovered a Chicago tanner still processing hides from horses that died from natural causes his business really took off. He transferred production from London to Moffat in Dumfriesshire in 1985 before the move to Greenbank Mill, Galashiels, seven years later.

The workforce expanded from four to 40 with a new generation of stars including the band members from Deacon Blue, Marti Pellow, and Elvis Costello all kitted out in Aero gear. The company's reputation for authenticity brought in orders from Madame Tussaud's for jackets which adorned the wax models of Marlon Brando and Paul Hogan of Crocodile Dundee fame.

But latterly the strength of sterling has hit the company's export trade. Three-quarters of the total output goes to Japan but a slump in European orders means the payroll has fallen to just 15 people.

Now Mr Calder believes the alternative Aeros he found on sale in London's King's Road for #200 could wreck the reputation of his firm if the market is flooded.

He was alerted by a friend who runs a Birmingham leather factory after an Aero jacket stamped with a contract number and bearing the name Redskin was handed in for repair. Mr Calder said: "The jacket was falling to pieces, something which does not happen to our products. They last for ever."

After five months spent scouring leather outlets throughout the country five of the Aero copies were found on the racks of one London shop.

But according to Mr Calder: "The trading standards department refused to remove them until one of our production team travelled to London and confirmed they were not ours.

"But then the authorities said they could not take action because the Aero labels were on the outside of the jackets and the fakes would be returned to the shop this week. It's a bit like us putting Gucci labels on our jackets.

"When I told them I was going to contact The Scotsman they said they'd refer the matter to their legal department. Now we hear Kensington and Chelsea trading standards won't act because there is no value in our case for the ratepayers in their borough. It's an absolute disgrace."

Mr Calder has no idea how many of the Redskin Aero jackets have been distributed in this country and overseas.

He said: "If they are in Japan then we are in big trouble. Our Japanese customers are absolute sticklers for quality and if inferior garments bearing the Aero label start appearing we could lose many valuable orders."

In an effort to end the trade in "bogus" jackets Mr Calder has written to Redskin's agent in the UK asking him to stop using the Aero name.

The agent, who did not wish to be named, denied there had been any infringement of trade names.

He confirmed the Aero Leather Corporation logo appeared on Redskin's goods but advised The Scotsman to contact the trading standards office in Kensington and Chelsea.

It is believed Redskin may have taken the Aero name from an American magazine but there had been no deliberate attempt to mislead anyone, the agent said.

Following Mr Calder's protests company representatives had promised to see what might be done to resolve the matter.

 

[Sloan1874]

Third, and final, piece:

HIDE AND CHIC - FASHION - SCOTLAND - AERO LEATHERS.

24 April 1994

The Sunday Times

MARLON Brando wore a Wild One as a leather-clad motorcycle rebel. Cary Grant was a hidebound hunk in a US Air Force A2 standard issue. Classic leather jackets are pure Hollywood but some of the best these days are made in the Scottish Borders.

Aero Leathers (as in aeroplanes, not chocolate bars) are a range of leather jackets based on original US military and airforce designs. They are made in Galashiels, and such careful individual craftsmanship is lavished on each garment that they come with a lifetime guarantee.

Ken Calder, co-founder in 1985 of the Transatlantic Clothing Company which makes Aero jackets, likes to treat 'em rough. He has around half a dozen jackets in his wardrobe, including one he has used as a blanket for tinkering under the car. Despite oil spills, it still looks good.

But Calder dismisses any suggestion that the leather look is purely for tough guys. His team of 30 turns out around 10,000 a year, for all kinds of customers who can enjoy their stylish lines and durability.

"The youngest person we ever made one for was a six-month-old, and we have had 70-year-olds buying our jackets why not? With a blanket lining, they're very warm and practical."

They look good on girls, too. The new Veste des Rallye style in hardwearing horsehide design, based on the car coats of the 1960s and influenced by the Mini-Cooper's momentous appearance at the 1964 Monte Carlo rally, is endorsed by Louise Aitken-Walker, the former Ladies World Rally Champion, who hails from Duns.

Calder and his colleagues scour the world for top-quality materials heavy steerhide from Alaska, sheepskin from Canada, horse-hide tanned and shipped over from the US. Almost as much attention is given to the linings imported Peruvian alpaca wool, silk, and a rich source of tartans from the multitude of local mills.

Last year the company won a Queens' Award for export achievement. Calder puts its success down to scrupulous attention to detail. Each jacket is produced by a single machinist, from the first to the last stitch.

Nearly half the jackets are donned by the quality-conscious Japanese, amounting to more than 1% of Britain's entire exports to Japan. There are also Aero lovers in Germany, France, America and Italy "Imagine that! Selling leather to the Italians!" enthuses Calder as well as a growing following in the UK, where stockists include Sam Walker in London's classy Covent Garden.

What Calder refuses to do is to ruin the classic lines of his jackets with gaudy logos. "I don't like them. They're a kiss of death."

 

[rocketeer]

Third, and final, piece:

HIDE AND CHIC - FASHION - SCOTLAND - AERO LEATHERS.

24 April 1994

The Sunday Times


Nearly half the jackets are donned by the quality-conscious Japanese, amounting to more than 1% of Britain's entire exports to Japan. There are also Aero lovers in Germany, France, America and Italy "Imagine that! Selling leather to the Italians!" enthuses Calder as well as a growing following in the UK, where stockists include Sam Walker in London's classy Covent Garden.

What Calder refuses to do is to ruin the classic lines of his jackets with gaudy logos. "I don't like them. They're a kiss of death."

So as suspected Sam Walker liked Aero's products so much they stopped selling Aero clothing, directly copied their[Aero's] designs, made them slightly inferior(YKK zips, poorer quality hides) and stuck a label inside telling the world Sam Walker made
"The Best Leather Jackets In The World"
So now you know when you see an eBay or similar auction stating "Made for Sam Walker by Aero" someone is telling fibs.

 

[cloudylemonade]

So as suspected Sam Walker liked Aero's products so much they stopped selling Aero clothing, directly copied their[Aero's] designs, made them slightly inferior(YKK zips, poorer quality hides) and stuck a label inside telling the world Sam Walker made
"The Best Leather Jackets In The World"
So now you know when you see an eBay or similar auction stating "Made for Sam Walker by Aero" someone is telling fibs.

You're right, Aero NEVER put Sam Walker labels in the jackets we sold to them. Any jacket bearing a Sam Walker label was NOT made by Aero, this is 100% fact.

John, my dad says you were highly instrumental in the birth of Aero, he say's in a way you talked him into starting Aero! You must have a story to tell youself!

Thanks for posting these articles, Sloan1874.

 

[Sloan1874]

No problem! Looking forward to coming to the factory next week!

 

[rocketeer]

You're right, Aero NEVER put Sam Walker labels in the jackets we sold to them. Any jacket bearing a Sam Walker label was NOT made by Aero, this is 100% fact.

John, my dad says you were highly instrumental in the birth of Aero, he say's in a way you talked him into starting Aero! You must have a story to tell youself!

Thanks for posting these articles, Sloan1874.

Thanks Holly, yes I will be posting a few features about Aero, I know I didnt start Aero( the leather side of things) but its nice to know I helped them on their way. I will contact your dad first then maybe post about my jacket.
Cheers to all, hope you all(at the factory) had a great holiday, John

 

[Fanch]

You're right, Aero NEVER put Sam Walker labels in the jackets we sold to them. Any jacket bearing a Sam Walker label was NOT made by Aero, this is 100% fact.

John, my dad says you were highly instrumental in the birth of Aero, he say's in a way you talked him into starting Aero! You must have a story to tell youself!



Thanks for posting these articles, Sloan1874.

Regarding authenticity of Aero garments, I would always look for the Aero "Car, Bike and Plane" labels that should be present on most of the Aero jackets, at least the utility jackets. However, counterfeit jackets should not a concern if one orders from Aero directly!

 

[rocketeer]

Regarding authenticity of Aero garments, I would always look for the Aero "Car, Bike and Plane" labels that should be present on most of the Aero jackets, at least the utility jackets. However, counterfeit jackets should not a concern if one orders from Aero directly!

If you buy an assortment of Aero jackets ranging from new to nearly 30 years old, you will find many different labels. I have three Highwayman jackets, all with different labels. That shown, repro design fro the 1930s, a scroll design and there are more such as Aero DeLux, all in the same design jacket.
Counterfeit jackets? Anyone who could produce a jacket near the quality of Aero would surly put their own label in it. As I posted with the Sam Walker jackets, they are nice garments but the quality is poorer, so look the same but not as good(Zips, hides, stitching, buttons etc.) If buying off the net by photo and description, new, you would surly have a legit claim. Second hand,(eBay) pay with paypal then send it back if you know it is a fake.

 

[Sloan1874]

I do think that when it comes to big ticket items like an Aero - at least one that's new - the attendant risk of buying stuff from there is just too high. Better the full-fat price and all the protection that it carries than to save a couple of hundred quid only to find it falls to pieces in six months time. During my research, I discovered there are a lot of £300 'Belstaff' jackets going begging, which just undermined my confidence generally. Counterfeiters in China will produce copies of everything and anything, and are canny at presenting it as if it's being sold from within the UK/US.

 

[trapp]

Not entirely sure, but I would guess Belstaff is easier to counterfeit than Aero. The name is better known, for one, and in general merchandise that flaunts its labeling (gucci, coach "signature", and...belstaff?) is more attractive from a counterfeiting perspective than a very high quality niche garment with little label recognition. That's my hunch, i may be wrong.

 

[Sloan1874]

It's the halo effect: you know that big names, or at least those with a tip-top rep, are going to be targeted, so you start 'seeing' fakes everywhere, even when there aren't any. It's a shame, because it undermines genuine eBay traders. Anyway, that's a bit off-topic, though I'm interested to know how Will concluded the Redskin Aero dispute. Any one know?

 

[cloudylemonade]

As far as we can remember we threw a very expensive London Law firm at them and they desisted. Ditto when there were issues with Eastman and Lewis. That's really the only solution. Sadly we found that there is no other way to put a stop to brand infringement, a polite phone call never did do much.

 

[Sloan1874]

Must be tricky for a business in a niche market where rep is everything. The moment somebody starts churning out substandard or derivative material with your name on it, your brand starts to suffer.

 

[Edward]

Must be tricky for a business in a niche market where rep is everything. The moment somebody starts churning out substandard or derivative material with your name on it, your brand starts to suffer.

Absolutely. The basic concept behind trade mark is that it permits the buyer to know the origin of the goods, and thus provides some sort of guarantor of quality. At least that was the idea originally - nowadays it often seems that a TM is even more valuable as often it is the brand that is valued by the consumer over and above the item itself. Companies who are not vigilant about their brand can see it threatened in many ways, by losing trade to counterfeiters, or losing reputation at the poor quality of counterfeits, or even by 'trade mark dilution' (the mark losing its enforceability because it becomes so generic a term - this is why Google at one point tried to stop the use of "Googling" as a verb to mean "searching the web").

Aero's TM disputes with Lewis and ELC are really interesting as they involved Aero's use of marks (respectively, Highwayman and Aero) which had previously been used for leather jackets but had fallen into disuse several decades previously, and were thus up for grabs. ELC weren't trying to pass off their jackets as Aeros, they wanted to replicate the A2s made by the original Aero NY company that was a USAAF contractor back in the day. Aero Scotland, however, legitimately owned the right in that name and were able to prevent that on the grounds that it could have led to infringement of their trade mark (use of the same or similar mark for the same goods). The original Lewis company produced a model known as the Highwayman, as I recall, and when the Lewis mark and range were resurrected, the new owners wanted to produce a jacket under than name. Again, Aero were already using the name wholly legitimately, and TM law protected that. Of course, none of this prevents ELC (or anyone else) from producing replicas of the original Aero A2 contract designs, or Lewis a Highwayman style jacket, as any protections for those designs have long run out. The only limitation is that they are not permitted (unless otherwise agreed under licence from Aero Scotland - I believe a Japanese label does this for its A2s) to call them or label them as Aero A2s, or a Highwayman jacket. Exactly the same as ALC are the only people entitled to label their replica WW2 style RAF sheepskin jackets "Irvins", but ELC, Aero, LW and anyone else is wholly able to produce a jacket to those designs, whatever they choose to call it. I lean to the view myself that ALC would find it harder to hold to their mark in court as "Irvin" is, to my mind, as much a generic term for a particular type of jacket now as A2, but given what even a successful legal defence can cost, it's really not worth a small company trying to fight it.

Anyhoo, enough of this, I'm sure I'm the only person here with any vague interest in TM law....

 

[Sloan1874]

Not at all, the machinations of TM law are a fascinating, especially in emerging markets. For what it's worth, it could be a lot worse for Aero Scotland. In China, Chivas Regal's brand is owned by a solitary Chinese businessman who refuses to give in. It's not whisky he produces, just cheap branded clothing, bags etc.
It's a popular practice known as trademark squatting, and basically a form of blackmail: "Pay us handsomely, and you get the rights to your name back, otherwise its a lengthy and expensive legal battle with no guarantee of a positive outcome".
The problem is that in China it's not whether you can prove you're the rightful owner that counts, it's a case of the first person to lodge the trademark gets them - neither Justin Bieber, Oprah Winfrey or Facebook own their own brands over there.
Also, the Chinese are very fond of their luxe brands - and this is where Aero might want to take notice - and the likes of Hermes are locked in a never-ending cycle of legal battles trying to prove that their brand was well-known before it was registered and therefore theirs, which is not as easy as you would imagine.
But here is the kicker: if you do start a legal challenge, you have to keep going with it as the case progresses through the court system with various appeals etc. You can't lose in one court, go away and have a think about it, and resume your challenge. If you get off the treadmill, then you back to the start of the process, which makes it difficult for small companies to tackle the problem once it starts.
A lawyer I spoke to about this, I'm normally a journalist when not considering my Aero purchase, described it as the "Wild West" for TM law, and that any company even just considering of expanding there, or with a product that could be counterfeited over there would be mad not to do it asap.

 

[ButteMT61]

Only two lawyers would take this forum from pictures to paragraphs of text... lol Just kidding guys. I am interested in this and IP law as well. I think at some point, the civilized or modernized business world will have to force China's (and others too) hand on these issues. They fake/copy/steal anything that can be made. It's high time to truly protect owners of legitimate business against this cr@p. It will only get worse. Playing nice here won't cut it.

 

[Sloan1874]

Sorry, yes, it did occur to me as I posted the message that it was rather long... hopefully, come Friday when I return from Gala, I'll have relevant stuff to post.

 

[ButteMT61]

Sorry, yes, it did occur to me as I posted the message that it was rather long... hopefully, come Friday when I return from Gala, I'll have relevant stuff to post.

Not at all. It's interesting stuff, and relevant. It effects us all. I work in the music industry, and it's killed us. Others are feeling it too. It's not just "someone else's problem". Of course, I also like my pictures

 

[havocpaul]

Interesting articles. As a regular buyer of original flight jackets from Ken's shop in Battersea during late 1970's early 1980's does anyone have any photos of that shop?