If you’re looking for something with more detail than a basic black biker jacket, this one from Regius Leather is an excellent option. It uses a dark, supple shearling and features vintage-style hardware.
This Japanese brand is a bit more expensive than others on this list, but they make incredible jackets that are worth the extra cost. They use Shinki horsehide and the jackets are more intricately designed than most of the other brands on this list.
1. Freewheelers
Few jackets scream vintage more than a brown single-breasted leather jacket. This style is a classic and timeless silhouette that can go with just about anything. While it may be best known for being favored by aviators and bikers, the beauty of this style is that it can also be worn as part of a formal outfit. A good example of this is the Buco J-100 flight jacket, but it can also be found in civilian styles from Hercules and other makers.
The first thing to keep in mind with this type of jacket is that it needs to be tailored and sized appropriately. A jacket that is too big will look sloppy, while one that is too small can be restrictive and uncomfortable to wear. As such, it is always a good idea to get the jacket made by a reputable custom shop that has a solid reputation for fitting their customers well.
Freewheeler is a brand that deserves more attention than it gets, and the reason why is because they produce incredible outerwear at an affordable price. The brand is known for producing top-quality bespoke leather goods, including flight jackets, cafe racers, half belts, and more. Their designs are all incredibly tasteful and perfectly in line with classic heritage fashion.
The company’s latest offering is the Kensington, a single-breasted brown leather jacket with a band collar and a single center zipper. It’s a fairly minimal design that will still give you all the classic features you want in this type of jacket, such as flapped side pockets and a chest zip pocket. The cuffs and hem are adjustable, which will help you achieve the perfect fit. The stitching is also a nice touch, using an olive thread that complements the color of the leather perfectly.
2. Rainbow Country
Unlike Freewheelers, Rainbow Country is not as widely known by leather jacket enthusiasts but they make top-notch products. They are renowned for their 30s sportswear jackets and 40s flight jackets, and they use the best leather in the business, Shinki Hikaku horsehide. Shinki leather ages much differently than chrome tanned leather and is a dream to work with. Vintage jacket aficionados look for well-defined tunneling and a rich, dark color with lots of grain variation.
The only downside to Rainbow Country is that their jackets are hard to find in the West, but if you’re up for the hunt they’re worth the effort. Rivet and Hide in the UK often stock them, and Self Edge in the United States also has a small selection. If you’re willing to pay for premium materials and the effort of finding them then these jackets are as good as it gets.
Aside from their infamous half belts, Rainbow Country also offers car coats and cross-zip motorcycle-style jackets. They’re also not shy about sharing pictures of the manufacturing process on their Facebook page, which shows a lot of confidence in their own work.
They don’t produce as many styles as Freewheelers and have a bit of a higher price point. This is because they use the same raw materials and make their jackets by hand in Kobe, but they charge a little more for this. The extra money is worth it to a lot of people because these are truly exceptional pieces of clothing. They’re more than a fashion piece and once you own one you’ll understand why they’re so sought after. The jackets are stiff when new but will soften with dedicated wear and become the most comfortable item of clothing in your wardrobe.
3. Aero
One of the coolest vintage leather jackets out there is a brown single-breasted style. It’s the quintessential piece of vintage casual menswear that looks great on every guy, whether you are a biker or not. They’re not the easiest to find but when you do they look awesome. From the A-2 style that most guys wear to the more unusual grizzly, finding one that works for you is part of the fun.
Aero makes a ton of different styles in both single and double-breasted versions. They tend to make theirs with a bit thicker, stiffer Shinki leather than the other makers on this list and also use premium-class hardware for durability. While their seams don’t quite have the crispness of Schott, they still look incredibly good and are a solid choice for anyone who wants to get into a brown single-breasted leather jacket.
The only downside is that their waiting list can be long and you may end up paying a little more than the other makers on this list for an Aero jacket, but the quality is there and they have an excellent reputation. They’re probably my second favorite maker on this list after Eastman.
Another great thing about leather jackets is that they can be worn with almost anything – from skinny jeans to shorts and even some tees. The best way to find the perfect leather jacket for you is to think about what kind of look you want to have and then pick a color that works with your wardrobe. With a wide variety of options to choose from, there is bound to be a leather jacket that will fit perfectly with your wardrobe.
4. Thedi Leathers
Thedi Leathers is another brand that specializes in the type of jackets that only the most dedicated vintage menswear fans collect, but at a price point that’s more realistic for those looking to get into the game. Like Freewheelers, they’re able to do much of their finishing work in-house and use Shinki leathers to create a range of stunning colors that aren’t possible with modern cowhide. They’re also able to offer linings that are far superior to the standard blanket liners most other makers use, including premium flannel and moleskins they pull out of their shirting line.
The jacket featured here is a black Double Rider model, which is the coolest of all the options they sell. It has all of the classic features that make this style iconic, from a curved yoke, wide lapels and cuff detailing, and a naturally dark color to help it stand out from the crowd. This kind of jacket is beloved by aviators and bikers, but it also looks great on rock stars and hipsters and just about everyone in between.
Thedi’s newer styles include an A-2 style with a more rounded yoke and a cropped body for high waisted trousers, but the black Double Rider is the most popular. It’s a handsome jacket that would look fantastic with just about any outfit you can think of, and it’s available at a price point that makes it easily accessible to all kinds of people. It’s not as clean-looking as a Schott Perfecto and it’s not going to be a replacement for an Excelled, but for the money it’s still one of the best choices out there.
5. Regius Leather
If you want to look like a movie star, there’s nothing quite like a leather jacket. It issues confidence the way a fine suit can, and it looks even better over time, as it ages and develops that lovely patina. It’s also a highly durable material that will keep you protected from the elements, whether it’s rainwater or UV rays.
There are a few brands on this list that deserve more attention than they get. Rainbow Country, for example, is a relatively unknown company that makes some of the finest reproduction leather jackets around. Their stitch work is superb (second only to Freewheelers on this list), and they have a wide range of styles, including A2s, cafe racers, and half belts. Their jackets are also extremely well made, with NOS robert zippers and beautiful wool Donegal lining.
Another brand worth checking out is Thedi Leathers. Based out of Greece, this company is making some of the most unique leather jackets available right now. Their focus is on biker jackets, but they have a wide selection of designs and can do almost anything you want with their vegetable tanned leathers. They also use some of the best materials out there, with a choice of Horween Chromexcel steerhide and front quarter horsehide and an impressive selection of linings from cotton drill to Lochcarron tartan.
The other brand that deserves a mention is Eastman. They make some of the finest reproduction flight jackets on the market, and they have a huge range of both American and British styles. They’re a bit more expensive than the other companies on this list, but they offer some of the best quality leathers available and their stitching is second to none. They also use a very high quality Italian vegetable tanned Vicenza horsehide for their leathers, which has a beautiful color and great grain that will age beautifully.
