Vintage Finnish Leather Jackets

[Mangrove]

Friitalan Nahkatehdas (1896-2010) was the largest leather factory in the Nordic countries and the only major leather jacket manufacturer in Finland. I have found little written information about the leather jackets the company produced during the 1930s so I had to do research of my own. Fortunately we have their catalogues digitized and I managed to find few model photographs from a period Finnish fashion magazine. Please comment if you feel so!

1. Women's hiking jacket with silk and knit wool lining. 620-715 FIM or about 213-246€/$276-318 in 2011 money.

2. Men's hiking jacket with a zipper. 365-485 FIM or c. 126-167€/$163-216.

3. Motorcycle jacket, gloving leather with satin lining and a zipper.

4. Farmer's jacket, wool lining. Available with fur collar. 665-765 FIM or c. 229-263€/$296-340.

5. "Gentleman's leather blouse" from gloving leather. Satin lining and a zipper. 465-540 FIM or c. 160-186€/$207-241

6. Gentleman's jacket with cotton-wool mixture lining. 610-700 FIM or c. 210-241€/$272-312.

 

[leopardstyle]

Pretty cool stuff. I'd love to see more Scandanavian leather jackets. I dig a lot of these especially the leathers on the ladies.

 

[Edward]

Lovely jackets! #2 looks very much like a denim trucker jacket - I'm surprised by this, as I have to admit I'd always thought that leather jackets in this style and cut only appeared in the Eighties!

 

[Metatron]

Very cool. It's interesting how the women's jackets make no effort to look feminine, almost like 'boyfriend clothes'.

 

[Davy Crockett]

Very nice jackets! any idea what type of hide?

D

 

[Deleted member 16736]

#5 and #9 are my favorites. Very nice stuff. And the ladies stuff is gorgeous.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Kiitos, Martti! The jackets look great.

@Edward: Why os that? I think I have seen short wool jackets in a similar cut on american ebay from time to time. What makes them look 80s to you? Just askin. I was thinking about a reproduction of similar work wool jackets.

 

[Mangrove]

Any idea what type of hide?

The factory only used sheepskins in its production. Some more:

7. Women's car coat. Silk, wool or fur lining. Chamois pockets. Colours: Brown, blue, red, violet and green.

8. Women's skiing and/or hiking jacket of gloving leather and satin lining.

9. Women's suede blouse. Red-dyed upper and green lower part.

 

[Edward]

Very cool. It's interesting how the women's jackets make no effort to look feminine, almost like 'boyfriend clothes'.

...and somehow all the more feminine for it.

Kiitos, Martti! The jackets look great.

@Edward: Why os that? I think I have seen short wool jackets in a similar cut on american ebay from time to time. What makes them look 80s to you? Just askin. I was thinking about a reproduction of similar work wool jackets.

I think it's as simple as I've just never knowingly seen a jacket of this pattern in leather pre-80s before. Not really a surprise that the Eighties version was based on something earlier - "Nothing new under the sun", and all that.

 

[esteban68]

great pictures.

 

[JanSolo]

Superb pictures, very handsome yet natural models and great jackets! Thank you very much! If possible please post some more pictures!! I really dig those!

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

I think it's as simple as I've just never knowingly seen a jacket of this pattern in leather pre-80s before. Not really a surprise that the Eighties version was based on something earlier - "Nothing new under the sun", and all that.

Yes, I see. But which details? The pockets, the collar? the lenght? Now that I am browsing through my pictures on the harddrive I can't find jackets with all the features at once (of course) But my knowledge in leather jackets is limeted anyway. That's why I have to ask.

Superb pictures, very handsome yet natural models

Oh thats just finland. Maybe not all of them but many.
The ladies know to walk very fast through the icy streets ...in heels. Very graceful. And I was struggling to hold my balance in normal shoes.

 

[Mangrove]

10. Men's hunting jacket.

11. Men's sport jacket.

12. Women's jacket no. 129.

13. Women's sport jacket.

 

[Aerojoe]

Nº 5 and nº6, nice "u-boat" jackets

 

[Mangrove]

Some winter coats from the same manufacturer for comparison.

 

[Graemsay]

10. Men's hunting jacket.

Is it just more, or is this a bit Tom of Finland?

 

[kyboots]

Is it just more, or is this a bit Tom of Finland[/

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LOL I think there really is a little Finland here!!! Wonder what he was pointing that gun at? It is a very good looking jacket. I think the best one.--John

 

[Edward]

Yes, I see. But which details? The pockets, the collar? the lenght? Now that I am browsing through my pictures on the harddrive I can't find jackets with all the features at once (of course) But my knowledge in leather jackets is limeted anyway. That's why I have to ask.

This is the kind of thing I mean:

The classic modern jean jacket design, but in leather instead of denim. Course, now I think about it, I should also have realised they were around in the Sixties too... Elvis wore one on the 68 Special....

Is it just more, or is this a bit Tom of Finland?

Ello, Joe, been anywhere lately?



It's the shiny leather britches.... Too much overall leather for me, but I'd wear those britches with a military dress jacket... Takes me right back to my pre-vintage clubbing days.... ha...

 

[Worf]

I'll take 3, 4 and 10 and I'll be straight. Good stuff! Thanks for posting!

Worf

 

[Mangrove]

I mentioned earlier that Friitala used only sheepskin on their jackets. However I found a bit of information that the Finnish Defence Forces used also horsehide jackets during the early 1930s. It is likely that these were made specially for the Army by Friitala.