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Biker jacket

Doctor Damage

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Ontario
EC2IjvGXkAUe-ze.jpg
 

AbbaDatDeHat

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Doctor Damage

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I just looked up Branded (which made heavy moto jackets, among other stuff, including military A2 jackets once upon a time under the Orchard name which our own Atticus Finch swears were excellent) for a thread on VLJ. Google's streetview dated 2020 came up with the following image of its Long Island location, which shows the company has either moved or gone out of business.

EDIT: I should have said it "appears" the company has moved or something. I don't know. Perhaps one of our members who lives in NYC could try to ring them or something. Their website it gone, though.

branded 2020.jpg
 
Last edited:

Edward

Bartender
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I had a leather wallet a few years ago labelled "Branded", I wonder if it was theirs? Not the sort of 'for life' product we usually look at round here, but all the same it was still pretty good. I moved on because I wanted a smaller, more easily managed wallet that held less stuff, not for any qualitative lack.


Grease did well on the leather jackets. Such a crying shame that by the time they get to the big dance sequence everyone is pretty much pure 70s! Fun little film, though. We shadow-casted it once, years ago, with the Rocky Horror group I was in at the time (I played Leo and the headmistress, as well as spending weeks on end painting half a dozen T Birds jackets - I took great pride in ensuring each one was based on the jacket on screen - if you look closely, they all vary just a little bit. Hand-painted with differences in shape here and there, not stencilled like the BRMC colours). Weird audience.... turns out Grease by 2003 was seen as a 'family film'. I'm guessing a lot of the by then parents who turned up with young kids had gotten into it around the tenth anniversary as kids themselves, and never understood what the story is actually about. I mean, I'm not overly prudish myself, but I should think if I had six year old kids I wouldn't have wanted them watching that plot - especially if they wanted it explaining!

I think I posted some of these photos before but I was not using the forum's image tool and they're now lost. Anyways, surprisingly for a fashion shoot, it looks like they've used a good quality jacket for these photos.

View attachment 197520 View attachment 197521 View attachment 197522 View attachment 197526 View attachment 197527 View attachment 197530

Quite likely belonged to the photographer, who may well have turned up wearing it, then decided to get it in the shoot...
 

Claybertrand

One Too Many
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1,544
Regarding BRANDED in NY, that picture looks as if the place is open for business but that the sign is just damaged on the right side. The For Rent sign appears to possibly be for the upstairs portion of that property. I don't think we should jump to the conclusion that they are out of biz. We should make sure before pronouncing them dead. I'm betting they are still in business. Here is their number (718) 361-7250. If you call their number, Peter (the owner) answers. Google still shows them as open for biz.
 

Doctor Damage

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Regarding BRANDED in NY, that picture looks as if the place is open for business but that the sign is just damaged on the right side. The For Rent sign appears to possibly be for the upstairs portion of that property. I don't think we should jump to the conclusion that they are out of biz. We should make sure before pronouncing them dead. I'm betting they are still in business. Here is their number (718) 361-7250. If you call their number, Peter (the owner) answers. Google still shows them as open for biz.
Okay, that's good. Too bad they don't have a website anymore since their stuff is good quality and they could probably bring in some sales.
 

Will Zach

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SoFlo
I am, however, getting strange, uncomfortable looks from guys I interact with all the time. From vendors to customers to friends there seems to be quiet pause and uneasy glances.

Portland? Could be PETA lovers or vegans giving you the looks.
 

SinSir

A-List Customer
Messages
350
Portland? Could be PETA lovers or vegans giving you the looks.

My girlfriend is vegan and some of her friends too. We go to tons of vegan restaurants,. I always wear my jackets and not a single time has anyone given me a sideways look or said anything negative. I keep thinking it'll happen someday but it hasn't, especially in my Eastman B3. If anything, its all compliments.

I also buy her leather jackets, her and friends love them. I make jokes about it, me buying the vegan leather. They think its funny but get why. Before me she typically wore pleather but after seeing the benefits of quality she's supportive. The mass produced mall crap not so much. The majority of vegans I've met do it for health, dietary restrictions, and sustainability not the image portrayed by media that I once thought.

All that said my ex fiance years ago worked for Nieman Marcus in DC. Plenty of PETA fanatics regularly protested there during winter and fur season. I wintnessed some absolutely appalling behavior that honestly was surprised some of them weren't arrested.
 

regius

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3,297
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New York
For all who oppose the bikers/perfecto style, just think those 1950s catalogues, those fedora wearing “gentlemen” were all wearing the cross zip, with a short & tie. Definitely in NYC this look is never questioned. But, the jacket has to be a good one, not a contemporary roller buckle Pakistani water buffalo hide imitation. I think the LW D pockets or a Norshor D pocket goatskin (if brown is ok) are nice options. Or get Johnson to make one.
 

Doctor Damage

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Ontario
For all who oppose the bikers/perfecto style, just think those 1950s catalogues, those fedora wearing “gentlemen” were all wearing the cross zip, with a short & tie. Definitely in NYC this look is never questioned. But, the jacket has to be a good one, not a contemporary roller buckle Pakistani water buffalo hide imitation.
I really like that look. But adopt that look today and everyone's going to think you're posing when historically the real posing is the Ramones version with t-shirt and jeans and Chucks.
 

regius

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3,297
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New York
Sidetrack: why our popular makers of today’s don’t yet offer D pocket orientation like the Cycle Champ? It’s so easy & makes a huge difference. I’m curious if Ken would entertain the idea of rotate the Elvis D pocket a little bit?
 

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