Let’s face it; the leather jacket has been cool since James Dean showed the world how to wear one several decades ago. There’s just something seriously badass about a nice leather jacket. It doesn’t matter whether you’re standing in front of the mirror at home practising your Fonzie impression or ordering a whiskey neat at your favorite bar like a true rebel (I’m not ashamed to admit I’ve done both), a good leather jacket can be a game changer.
The Ultimate Leather Jacket
The challenge comes in finding one that fits you just right. Those aforementioned stars like Dean and Fonzie always seemed to look as though they were born wearing their jackets. Buying that beautiful leather jacket off the rack therefore, won’t cut it if we’re trying to achieve that same combination of style and fit. Unfortunately, finding a suitable bespoke option is also easier said than done, especially when it comes to using materials outside of your standard woollen fabrics, such as leather.
After doing my own research with many of the top tailoring houses worldwide, I’ve found that it can be extremely frustrating trying to duplicate and achieve the same fit in leather as you would usually get in a woollen fabric. For bespoke tailors, leather just seems to have that certain characteristic that puzzles even the best tailoring houses. Not to mention, the cost can add up very quickly. So I set out on a personal quest to find the best in the business. My journey led me to Chiltern Street in Marylebone, London, which is where I discovered Cromford Leather Co.
Cromford Leather Co. (formerly the old General Leather Company) is something quite special. They offer both made-to-measure and bespoke services in creating some of the finest quality garments in the world. Cromford sources its leathers from merchants all around the country and directly from tanneries around Europe. Each skin is meticulously handpicked and crafted to perfection. Best of all, all its products are hand-made by its small team of craftsmen and women in London.
It is also one of the few companies that offer alteration services, ideal for that colleague who found their perfect leather jacket earlier in life and insists on wearing it all the time even though the button looks like a bullet ready to fire off with the onset of a sneeze. Maybe you can give them a not so subtle hint by by sending them this article?
Finally, in my humble opinion, the defining characteristic of any good company is its commitment to giving back to its community. Cromford Leather Co. is one of the few British manufacturers that have made a commitment to cultivating home grown talent through its wonderful apprentice program.
So if you happen to be in the market for the ultimate leather jacket (or suede), I highly recommend a visit to Cromford Leather Co. Introduce yourself to the company’s director, Pauline Harris and get ready to give the ol’ Fonz a run for his money…