Single piece back fit question

[greenc]

Hi all,

Hope the week is off to a good start. I have a question regarding pattern and fit:

Do any of you have experience with a jacket that has a back made from a single piece of hide? I mean no yoke, no kidney panel, no center seam, just a large piece of leather from shoulder to hem.

My guess is that the yoke, kidney panel, split seam, etc are used in jacket construction to effect the drape, and that a single piece of material will drape much differently, however, I have no real idea.

If any of you can offer thoughts I'd be most appreciative, thank you. Looking forward to speaking soon.

Chris

 

[MrProper]

I had the FL Route 66 with a single piece and still have the Lewis Leather Corsair.
No idea if the pictures will help you.

 

[greenc]

I had the FL Route 66 with a single piece and still have the Lewis Leather Corsair.
No idea if the pictures will help you.

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View attachment 733329

@MrProper those jackets are such terrific fits on you, well done. My concern is how the jacket will respond to movement across the upper back and shoulders...yours don't seem to have any odd creasing, which makes me feel like a one-piece back won't be problematic.

Do you find them comfortable? Do they feel different than a jacket with a yoke?

 

[cbez]

It will fit fine.

Most multi piece back panels are not tailored masterpieces, they're just using smaller pieces to save costs and reduce waste.

 

[raf]

Hi all,

Hope the week is off to a good start. I have a question regarding pattern and fit:

Do any of you have experience with a jacket that has a back made from a single piece of hide? I mean no yoke, no kidney panel, no center seam, just a large piece of leather from shoulder to hem.

My guess is that the yoke, kidney panel, split seam, etc are used in jacket construction to effect the drape, and that a single piece of material will drape much differently, however, I have no real idea.

If any of you can offer thoughts I'd be most appreciative, thank you. Looking forward to speaking soon.

Chris

I'm neither a tailor nor a jacket mfr. Your "guesses" about various panels above may well be correct for all I know.

What I do know is that some shops use smaller scraps of leather to construct various panels, sewing labor being cheaper in the long run than large panels of leather. It is not uncommon to see some gov't contractor military jackets making an authorized substitution of some smaller panels under wartime pressure and materials shortages, vice original one-piece panels.

Personally, and "fit'/"drape" aside, I always consider one-piece panels to be more durable than multi-panel equivalents. All other things being equal, the stitching is more prone to deterioration than is most leather. In addition, the less stitching, the less the possibility of a stitching mistake.

I also know, from firsthand experience, that some foreign made military field gear was made with inferior grade thread and such gear failed--early-- at the stitching. Stitching looked fine to the eye, but impossible to tell if quality thread was used.

I have NO idea about whether makers of high-end "bespoke" flight jackets use thread identical to that used during WW1/WW2, or presumably superior modern threads. So long as the color is "correct", using modern thread would likely be more durable than using "correct original" thread.

Aside from that, the fewer the stitched panels, the fewer the places where water can ingress the garment.

 

[MrProper]

@MrProper those jackets are such terrific fits on you, well done. My concern is how the jacket will respond to movement across the upper back and shoulders...yours don't seem to have any odd creasing, which makes me feel like a one-piece back won't be problematic.

Do you find them comfortable? Do they feel different than a jacket with a yoke?

To be honest, I don't notice any difference. That may be because all my jackets are tight-fitting. They work very well for everyday wear, but I wouldn't want to do sports or yoga in them.
I think the type of leather has more of an impact on mobility than the yoke, side panels or anything like that.

 

[tuanhng614]

I had the FL Route 66 with a single piece and still have the Lewis Leather Corsair.
No idea if the pictures will help you.

View attachment 733328
View attachment 733329

I recalled reading a thread about a Thedi jacket without a yoke and the owner complained that the jacket tent out at the bottom hem, and he brought it up with Theo. The master said that the yoke construction would prevents such a thing.

Based on that, my understanding is that one piece back panel doesn’t work for everyone (body type, posture) and depending on the construction/pattern/kind of leather of the jacket as well.

 

[cbez]

Based on that, my understanding is that one piece back panel doesn’t work for everyone (body type, posture) and depending on the construction/pattern/kind of leather of the jacket as well.

you could say that about any pattern or construction type.

 

[jchance]

Even with a one-piece back, you can still be comfortable if the front has pleats (as seen in type I) or movement is not limited by pleats in the shoulder/armpit area. There may be some folds in terms of drapes, but comfort and mobility can come from elsewhere.

 

[AeroFan_07]

This isn't quite a full single piece back, but if there is no adjustment capability, you will want to make very sure the jacket will really fit you, since you cannot adjust it, and this can occur:

 

[Aloysius]

The big difference with single vs multi piece is that a multi-piece back can produce a more contoured silhouette. This, assuming all other things are equal, is different from fitting better/worse.

With something actually bespoke (rare with leather jackets, and arguably unnecessary) things like distinct yoke pieces for your figuration can make a huge difference. This matters more for something like shirts though.

 

[bigmanbigtruck]

Reminds me of a post from a while back where someone got a Thedi jacket with a one-piece back and it did not drape so well when unzipped.
According to Theodoros, it wasn't the best idea for that individual due to their posture and how it interacted with the pattern.

All this to say, this question is better suited to someone that is an expert on these patterns and has a good idea of your posture. Asking the question like this won't get you a definitive answer. It'll always end up with the frustrating "It depends..."

 

[ton312]

OnE PiEcE BAcK!!!!

Man this question is as old as this forum. Seamed or clean makes no difference if you like the way it looks. Had plenty of both. Don’t care either way if the jacket fits well overall. I believe seams can help the fit, especially in certain patterns. But this horse is beat so dead it can’t even be reincarnated it any meaningful way.

I must be getting really jaded b/c my first thought is….who cares?

 

[bigmanbigtruck]

I must be getting really jaded b/c my first thought is….who cares?

I've been here for a much shorter time and had the same thought.
As long as it fits well and doesn't look like patchwork... who cares? lol

This is starting to look like a follow up of the “Chasing perfection” thread…

 

[ton312]

I've been here for a much shorter time and had the same thought.
As long as it fits well and doesn't look like patchwork... who cares? lol
View attachment 733485

This is starting to look like a follow up of the “Chasing perfection” thread…

And just like that, you spoiled my incoming jacket pic

 

[Aloysius]

I've been here for a much shorter time and had the same thought.
As long as it fits well and doesn't look like patchwork... who cares? lol
View attachment 733485

This is starting to look like a follow up of the “Chasing perfection” thread…

The patchwork looks really cool tbh.

 

[ton312]

The patchwork looks really cool tbh.

Let’s put a mouton collar on it and see if cbez melts when he tries it on.

 

[bigmanbigtruck]

The patchwork looks really cool tbh.

I like the stained glass look too - just breaking down the question into smaller pieces lol

 

[Zoro]

I've been here for a much shorter time and had the same thought.
As long as it fits well and doesn't look like patchwork... who cares? lol
View attachment 733485

This is starting to look like a follow up of the “Chasing perfection” thread…

I loved this jacket in the Somebody That I Used To Know videoclip.

 

[MadCat]

I’m in the process of getting a couple of custom jackets made and that is one of the questions/concerns I had as well.

Like said previously in this thread, I think it depends on your body shape. Also, I think it depends on the leather type and weight and the pattern. I do believe though that a multipiece might drape better in some circumstances. I’ve seen one piece backs look weird and ill fitting. That is one thing I’m afraid of for my next jacket build.

For example, a lot of vansons models have a centre seam going down the back and I’m thinking of getting rid of it, but I’m also worried that it might ruin it at the same time so I’m on the fence. Maybe it’s just better to leave it how it is and how they intended to have it made.