
How to Wear Different Coloured Leather Jackets
When you think of a leather jacket, many automatically think of the colour black or brown. After all, these are the classic colours when it comes to leather. As great as a stylish brown or black jacket is, there are other colours available as well. Lusso Leather produces finely crafted leather jackets in a number of different shades that can all give that extra touch to your particular style. Let’s delve into some of the different colours our jackets come in and how you might wear them to look your best.
How To Clean & Maintain Your Leather Jacket
Leather can be virtually indestructible if treated properly. With a little bit of care and attention, your new leather jacket will last well into vintage age and your vintage leather will continue to have a long happy life.
How is Leather Actually Made?
At Lusso Leather, we believe in complete transparency. It is our goal to educate you on the way our products are made, but also simply inform you in case you are simply wondering! After reading this article, you’ll be fully educated on the steps of leather creation supply chain process. The principal methods of making leather haven't changed that much over the years, but that doesn't mean it is easy. Tanners are highly trained in what they do, and it is a surprisingly complicated and lengthy process!

What is Bespoke Clothing and Made to Measure Clothing- Leather Jackets
Alongside the rise in custom leather jackets is the increased popularity of couture clothing. For example, dresses in couture are dialed down to the very curves and caresses if the customer's body, accentuating their figure and characteristics. It is the ultimate form of self-expression in clothing.
Process for creating a custom leather jacket with Lusso Leather
Step 1: Graphic Illustration
After you communicate the specifics of your desired jacket. Our graphic designer will bring your design to life.
Step 2: Sourcing of Leather
Our team members will source the leather or fabric required that is best suited for your custom project. The choices are unlimited.
Step 3: Pattern Drafting
A pattern will be drafted which is specifically made for your jacket with your body measurements. This is used as a template to make the jacket.
Step 4: Construction
The leather will be cut and sewn together by our expert leather tailors with 20+ years of experience.
Step 5: Personalization
Naturally a custom jacket may involve custom embroidery, graphics printing or logo patches on the jacket. We have it all covered.
Step 6: Quality Check
Before the jacket is dispatched, it goes through a quality check process and photos are shared with you. Step 7: Shipping Jacket is packed and shipped all over the world FREE of cost.

How to care for a Leather Jacket


Leather, Kaizen, and Freedom
Not everybody who reads leather is into reading. Everybody who is into leather is a smart human being. Let me lay it down for you in a long and drawn out way.
Here is a cool guy, but I guarantee you've never heard of him
.
His name is Gabriel Tarde. He was one of a few voices who were critical of what would become the dominant mode of thought during the 20th century. He saw society as a collection of individual actors with their own dispositions. This is counter to what the boss at the time, Emile Durkheim thought. You might be able to blame Mr. Durkheim for what was perceived as collectivist, unified, and zombiefied society. You see, when we take a stance against mass produced leather and provide custom fitting for the individual, we're appropriating the old tech, with a bit of the new. Sure, there's a lot to be worried about when it comes to personalization, but that's not the reason leather works.
Here's another guy who had some similar ideas. His name is Lousi Althusser. In his famous essay on the ideological state apparatus, which he blamed for reproducing the relations of capitalism, he outlined his concept of interpellation. Now, Tarde was famous for describing a magnetic property in the organization of society. Althusser's work is an extension of the idea of interpellation.
See, when you buy a leather jacket, you've been interpellated into a vision of yourself and the future, which by buying the jacket you're consenting to. That's what makes brands so effective by the way. They are basically guaranteeing a magical property for you when you buy their stuff.
So when you buy a leather jacket, you're not just buying comfort and style. you're buying a lifestyle. you're buying this:
as in 'are you buying this? This guy thinks he's cool'. The trouble is, as far as anyone can tell he IS cool.
If you're thinking, oh not another one of those, slow down. I'm here to tell you that you can use this to your advantage. You're at war against a ton of different memes (medium video explaining the concept) competing for your mind. They need you to reproduce them. Buying for you, especially buying a custom leather jacket, positions yourself as a strong individual. The thing about memes is that you can't escape them. This looks like a condition of the social environment. It's cruel and heartless, I know, but we want you to thrive.
This is where the Japanese concept of Kaizen comes in. This video claims to teach you the true meaning of it.
It's not as complicated as this graph. this graph explains how kaizen works as a reproductive/generative force in personal development. We're going to do something slightly different with it. Here is the concept at its most basic: kaizen means continuous improvement, you should be doing something every day to move you towards your goals, the method encourages taking incredibly small actions, but making them a habit. For instance, if you want to do 100 pushups, you should start by doing one pushup a day. It then becomes easier, from that point, to do 2,3 or more pushups. Over time, you'll develop the strength to tackle the challenge of 100.
Taken together, kaizen and interpellation create a constellation of forces which ultimately draw you into the reality you're stuck in. If you're here buying a leather jacket, that means you're leaning a certain way, you're choosing a certain reality. Truth be told, I hate seeing someone who hasn't fully committed to their role. I especially have trouble seeing a leather jacket that was just purchased on the impulse towards something greater, as if the purchase was a temporary manifestation of an individual on a longer project. Buying and customizing a leather jacket solidifies the reality you've chosen. It makes the role you're stepping into more believable. I hope I've made some aspects of that role clearer through my posts.
Of course, you come from a different place, you're bringing your own style. I get that. However, you're probably after something like freedom.
We need the principle of Kaizen here to be able to conceive of the path to freedom, which a leather jacket is definitely on. Now, you can think of buying into certain realities like this:
Or like this:
Take one step closer to freedom, whatever that means to you. If you're here now, looking for it, take a chance. Freedom is worth it.
In summary, there was a cool guy in the past who was mocked into obscurity. Today, his theories have explanatory power. One day, a guy named Louis tried something similar to great effect. Now we have a way to understand the reproductive forces of capitalism, as well as the formation of identity. Tarde also laid the groundwork for what is know as quantum social science today. Finally, the principle of small action known as kaizen can act as a propelling force from moving between one identity to another, and giving us freedom from our existing future. Act now, before it's too late to change.

What to Wear With a Leather Jacket
Confidence
Listen, everyone will tell you that you need to wear attitude with your leather. In case you can't tell, life is good in a leather jacket. Relax, you've made it. Enjoy your cool life. At Men's Fashion Magazine there's big talk that leather jackets are all about the rebel, the punk, the generally tough guy who will kick your ass if you look at them funny. This is patently untrue. Though they trace the rise of the leather jacket from the 1950's to now, there has been leather and leather wearers who are free in other ways.
That's what the leather jacket is all about, folks! Freedom, baby! I remember when I got my first leather jacket. I grabbed it at a garage sale festival (they exist) and it was the smoothest, sexiest thing I had ever seen. I can wear it out with almost anything and turn heads. If only the weather would cooperate.
All that being said, let's get down to the bread and butter of style.
If you haven't figured out how to pick one yet, head over to this post on finding the best bang for your buck.
Shirts
Don't laugh! Not everybody opts for a shirt. Sometimes no shirt can be sexy.
See?
Anyway, pick your damn shirt to match the color of your leather. I don't mean wear black on black, which you can do, but just be smart about it. No neon green unless you're at a rave.
Pants
If you've got a bomber jacket, grab some casual pants: jeans, leather, or some other casual two-leger. See those jeans above? That works. Check out the dress pants under CONFIDENCE too. you'll need it to rock dress pants and jeans. Trust me, once they're in front of you you'll be confused. Here's a rule: if you are worried about the fashion police bothering you, don't. If you don't care, are free, then do it.
Overall
Let's break this down quickly for you. The leather jacket has a ton of ornaments. It has EXTRAS. That's a way of saying 'Yo, I AM' in a certain way. This jacket would not work with dress pants and shoes because they are form different worlds. Think of yourself as an actor; you have to stick to your role. So before you go out, choose who you want to be and 'role' with it.
If this hasn't helped you, check out the Art Of Manliness as they explain not only why you should buy, but the several types of leather jackets. Stay free.

Story in Leather: How Tanneries Shape Their Community
Last week we did a brief history of leather. Today, I'd like to take you on an inspirational trip through the leather business as a whole. Although the industry is commonly met with hatred, I won't be touching on it. Industry in and of itself is not negative. It can have a positive impact on the world. We will be looking at some examples and discussing the positive aspects of the leather business. Since this is a trip I encourage you to browse through the links as they come. The articles I've assembled are covered with images of the leather world. We are taking several trips to tanneries throughout the globe. We'll be talking about history again, but this time a few specifics and some general theories regarding business and community.
In From Hides to Handbags: Inside a Moroccan Leather Tannery Flora the Explorer creates a photo journal of her trip to Fez, Morocco. In Fez, the tanning district has remained unchanged since the 12th century. She realizes that the leather industry of Fez is the city's lifeblood. When Claire Burns looked at the tanning industry of medieval Britain she found something similar. She relates that "The location of a tannery is heavily based on the requirements of a nearby river or stream, cattle which could supply the hide, and of course oak trees which would supply the bark needed for the tanning process." Tanning industries of old were a major investment for a community. The trade was able to support the population. The fact that Fez continues to exist suggests that it is possible for a town to sustain itself with one industry for a long time. Flora also remarks that she felt as if the people were going about their daily lives as they tended to the tanning process.
The Shoe Snob takes a trip to the Ilcea leather factory in Milan. I want to take a time out and explain a bit of business theory and how the event of the Shoe Snob visiting the tannery suggests a central principle of good business practice. First of all, the shoe snob realized that he was going to need better suppliers to compete with the big boys in the leather industry. Over the years of posting on his blog he must have grown a good following in the leather industry. It was so good, in fact, that he drew the attention of the Ilcea factory who sent him an email offering information on the tanning process.
You see, the story the Shoe Snob tells us about the Ilcea factory is about relationships. When it first began, the factory was known for distributing quality leather products to none other than Ferragamo. For those of you who don't know, that is the name of a brand of shoes that became popular in the 1920's with the classiest people alive. One day, Ilcea's main boss died and left the two remaining founders to operate it. Unfortunately, one had no interest in the business and sold his shares to the other. The remaining founder began to sell off the company piecemeal, slowly destroying the existing business relationships. When another leather company heard that it was for sale, it bought it up and began to rebuild relationships. Even through the magic of the internet businesses can participate in making friends and maintaining relationships. How long do you think the business relationships have gone on in Fez?
It's not enough to start your village with the material resources laying around. Everyone needs everyone else, which means that above all, our relationships are our best resource. Although we bring quality leather goods, they can't exist without you, without the rest of the world.
Let's take this even further by introducing Cordoba. In the Gentleman's Gazette Schneider looks at the history of the Spanish town and its leather. He tells us that the leather there was widely known for its quality. What eventually set it apart, however, was its ties to Spanish Royalty, who spread throughout the kingdom. Businesses today try to use shout outs to get their messages heard. This is a subform of appealing to royalty. However, it is possible that relationships cultivated with powerful people become insanely beneficial. In some cases they can radically alter the town. Consider Amazon's search for a new headquarters. They put out a request for proposal where cities across the globe have to court the company into staying in their metropolis. In theory, this bondage will be mutually beneficial. Imagine the benefits to merchants who live in the same area as the Amazon headquarters. Although I'd love to talk about the destabilizing effects of the online marketplace, I'll leave it up to you to imagine the fate of Fez.
I want to include another photo trip. It's worth going to these place sin your mind to see the whole of the industry. For instance, you can get a sense for the labor required to produce the quality goods that you wear. Many ancient texts recommend that we look at the entire chain that led to the creation of a thing. In this case, our trip has already talked about society, geography, and trade (in both senses of the word). I am a visual person. I think anyone interested in their appearance is at least a bit visual in their thinking. I found the photos easier to understand. Language is just a poor approximation. try this video on for size too. It looks at the leather industry in Pakistan. By now, you should have a general idea of how the leather industry works. You should be able to see the interconnections industry and community that Flora expertly touches on throughout her article.
Leather as clothing can serve to produce and reproduce relationships. I hope to make it clear exactly the kinds of relationships on sale here. That will require a deeper look into the symbolism of leather. It was important to set up the history of leather, where we saw the tanning industry appear lightning-quick. Today I brought up how businesses like these are tied to their locations and their relations. Someday soon I hope to explain what this industry means on many levels. I will be following the chain of reference that leads to leather, the same way I am following the chain of materials and processes.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this post. Feel free to comment on it. Check out the rest of the blog if you haven't already. More to come next week.

5 Tips for Buying a Leather Jacket
Everyone is a beginner at something. If you're doing your research before buying a leather jacket, good for you! Here are 5 tips to consider before you buy.
- Avoid Chemically Treated Leather
If you’re buying a pricey item, you’re less likely to see this. At the higher price bracket you’ll be dealing with differences of grain, while quality is pretty high. At this point, it’s more about which look you enjoy and how it feels to wear and touch.
When you feel the leather, it should feel smooth and soft. If it feels oily or looks like plastic, then avoid it at all costs.
- Mind the Details
You want to look at every detail of the jacket to determine its quality. When designers create their jackets, if they are looking to create a high-quality piece they rarely skimp on the details. Usually the first thing to go is the zipper. If you see a good quality zipper, you can bet that the leather jacket is quality.
After you’ve checked the zipper, check the lining. You want to know if there are two layers to the inner lining, one for the body and one for the sleeves.
Are the linings smooth or crunchy? Look for smooth linings.
- Does it Fit Right?
You want the jacket to be tight, but you don’t need to sacrifice comfort for style.
You should be able to bend your arms comfortably, even jump around like an animal. A good leather jacket will work with you. If you plan on wearing a dress shirt with your leather jacket, prepare yourself by bringing a dress shirt to buy your new jacket.
If you wear a t-shirt instead of a hoodie, you run the risk of buying a jacket that is too tight.
- Color is Important
It’s safe to go with black and brown. Everyone understands that leather jackets are black or brown. Anything outside of that and you’ll be turning heads more than usual. It also doesn’t let you get away with wearing the same thing every day. People will start to know you as the guy with the red jacket. This could be cool. Just be careful with the color of your jacket, because it will be one of the first things people notice and last things they remember.
- Price Isn't Everything
Just because something fetches a high price doesn’t make it the best. The same goes for cheaper jackets. It ultimately comes down to your discernment and taste. You can find extremely high quality jackets for a good price, you just have to know how to look. Hopefully we have given you some insight into your search for the perfect leather jacket.

A Brief History of Leather
How was leather first made and discovered? How has leather changed throughout history? How old is leather? Well, to start, a leather coat is just a fur coat without the hair.
You've probably seen something like this before
Or maybe this
These are called tanning racks and they help leather makers clean and shape the skin of the animal using sharp tools.
Truth be told, leather making hasn't changed much since it began over 2 million years ago. While stone-age man, Australopithecus Habilis, roamed the Earth they seemed to develop a diet that increasingly incorporated meat. However, since they didn't have sharp claws or teeth they had to invent tools to penetrate the skin of their prey. We know that they succeeded because of artefacts we've discovered.
Another hominid group came on the scene and started successfully hunting and killing their prey. They had more sophisticated tools for butchering and skinning. Some of them lived in tent-like structures, kind of like tanning racks, that would uphold furs to serve as insulation and support for tanning. By keeping a fire in or around these tents, the skins were tanned and cured over time.
Cue the Neanderthals. They figured out a ton of great tools for hunting and skinning. They had a lot of this stuff figured out around 100,000 years ago. They were even able to expand into the cold tundra.
In 3300BC a man by the name of Otzi dies while crossing the alps. He was fully covered in leather. This just goes to show that leather is a damn good material if you are a badass. It must have been cool to cross the alps wearing the most high-tech gear known to man and to die doing so.
Obviously, a lot of information was written on leather. It was a great way of keeping information over time. The aboriginals of today have wampum belts which date back from pre-historic times. Some of them are symbols of treaties made with Canada. Some leather can last forever. Some leatherworkers were even smart enough to inscribe the methods for making leather. they drew diagrams of how to do it.
Here's a brief explanation of the leather making principle. By the way, if they didn't figure out how to clean and tan the skins, they would just putrefy. You need to skin an animal and pluck out the fur. Though the fur can be taken off a bit at a time, it's a lot easier to clean it off, blood and all, in water and then in a vat of lime. The lime solution will clean the fur off the skin. then you can start hanging out to dry, and to eventually be tanned and shaped and made smooth with different techniques. It was also good to cover the skin in the tannins of different barks, leaves, twigs, fruits and such, Thus, tanning leather. The guy who accused Socrates of ruining the youth was a tanner.
Eventually, different earth salts were used to tan the leathers. In Ancient Egypt, where the technique of earth salts originated, leather was being used for shoes, gloves, buckets, bottles, and military equipment. The Romans used leather widely as well. In 800 BC the Sumerians captured this recipe for tanning freshly slaughtered ox hide. “This skin you will take it, then you will drench it in pure pulverised Nisaba flour, in water, beer and first quality wine. With the best fat of a pure ox, the alum of the land of the Hittites and oak galls, you will press it and you cover the bronze kettle drum with it”.
Over time, leather industries started to form. In the 8th century Spain received the silver and leather industries, which would go on to shape the country. By the 11th century
Three tanning processes exist: the oil process or chamoising, the mineral (alum) process or tawing, and the vegetable process or tanning.
In the 1200's Marco Polo communicates that leather is amazing after smelling it off birch bark. Furthermore, during the plague, people actually hid in the leather district because they believed the smell would protect them. Apparently the smell of leather being made is pretty good.
As history moves forward rich merchants begin getting large orders for leather, and monks are starting to be recognized for their craftsmanship. Different tanning centers began to form especially around England and Spain. It became such an economic imperative that in 1392 the butchers of London were ordered to deposit their skins at the leather market.
It happens relatively quickly in leather's history that Kings and Queens are offering monopoly rights on the sale of different types of leather and methods of tanning. The understanding of leather work was not great among brits for instance. It took the tanners time to learn some processes that were ancient in Spain. Even now, I suspect, some leather methods are kept secret for this reason. Leather work is extremely ancient, certain techniques must be preserved because they represent the livelihood of a family or people in some cases.
Mind you, even before industrialization tanning families were very wealthy because leather was sold to the upper classes, and tanning was a subtle art. Consider that in 1754 the Royal Society for the engagement of Arts, Manufacturers, and Commerce was founded in London. This connotes wealthy businessman lobbying the royal family to support their interests. Leather spawned and still spawns empires.
After the empires started to spread, especially into America, science started to apply itself faster to leather making. First came the patents for leather drums and other leather tanning methods. Scientists like Humphrey, who invented the miner's lamp, and was knighted for it, also made headway into new methods for tanning. Others discovered chemical dyes. William Perkins invented a color of purple that fundamentally altered leather making from then on. There's a book about it too.
In 1874 the first research institute of leather was founded in Vienna. It's called the Vienna Research institute.
For almost two centuries, the scientific pursuit of better leather has not slowed the leather industry. Today, there are over 100 players in the leather market. Any significant innovations in technique or understanding could prove the difference in the long run. However, in this post we failed to look at the changing fashions and tastes of consumers of leather. Perhaps leather will undergo significant changes through the advent of genetic engineering or 3-d printing. Who knows? As of now, the leather industry is marked by a deep history older than humanity. As we wear our leather, let's not forget our ancestors who managed to piece this together with sticks and stones.
If you liked this post be sure to check out other posts at Lusso Leather. If you are seeking more leather knowledge see this highly informational post on the history of leather done by Mike Redwood, the greatest living leather industry expert.

Story in Leather: The Yellow of Bruce Lee and Beatrix Kiddo
For those of you who don’t know, Bruce Lee was a famous martial artist from China. He perfected the techniques of Jeet Kun Do, a style which he created. Coded within his movies is the pinnacle of martial arts. Just as he was becoming popular in the West, he suddenly passed away with great controversy. It has been suspected that he chose a yellow jumpsuit for one of the biggest budget martial arts films ever to comment on the poor treatment of Chinese immigrants in America.

This is untrue. Andre Morgan worked with Bruce on set and explained that the yellow jumpsuit was chosen by necessity. Since there was only a yellow or black jumpsuit to choose from, and the jumpsuit needed to display a dirty footprint from a kick, yellow was the only option.

In Game of Death Bruce Lee is forced to fight up a pagoda, a tall Japanese building. On each floor of the pagoda, he encounters a martial arts master, each better than the last.
Similarly when Beatrix Kiddo fights the Crazy 88, she is forced to fight an onslaught of increasingly difficult opponents. Tarantino is paying homage to Bruce and his work as both a director and martial artist. Bruce popularized martial arts mythology in the West. In Kill Bill, we learn that Beatrix studies under a mountain sage. Bruce does too in some of his movies. Both characters’ martial arts skills are a result of their inhuman perseverance and intellectual enlightenment. By the way, the above scene is full of Bruce Lee’s moves. Especially the moves on the ground.

In Volume 1 of the Kill Bill Series Kiddo is hunting down her former group members to seek revenge. She is incredibly persistent and succeeds despite several moral and physical barriers. She quickly dispatches one of her old friends with her friend’s child nearby. When she dawns the vibrant leather, she still manages to track the yakuza. Even though she is wearing a bright yellow flag, she doesn’t attract anyone’s attention until she does something wild. This all part of her plan. She is winning psychologically before she wins physically. Her resolve, which she honed while training and while fighting comes out. Just like leather, she never quits.
The movies play on the theme of overcoming unfavourable circumstances. The jacket represents the victory of the underdog, and the freedom from circumstance. Think about it: nothing can stop these characters. They have faced and will continue to face situations that threaten their lives, but they always overcome them.

In the book Yellow Peril the Tchen documents the intellectual positioning of Eastern and Western knowledge over the past century. The book tries to understand the prevalent racism and fear of Asians. No doubt, Bruce faced many of these challenges as a Chinese actor in America. There has been much speculation surrounding his death, which highlights the role Bruce was playing in American culture at the time.
Although the yellow jumpsuit wasn’t chosen to make a statement about the repositioning of Eastern understanding, we can read it as if it does. Some people believed that Bruce was assassinated by Americans because his movies and his personality were undermining Western politics. It’s fascinating to review the defeat of Kareem Abdul Jabbar a 2.18 meter national basketball hero by a jumpsuit wearing Chinese man in this light.
Tarantino is giving a nod to the idea that Bruce was killed by pulling that specific reference. The defeat of Lucy Liu by Kiddo, in that jacket, represent a reversal of the circumstances. Bruce’s martial arts have been absorbed into the Western consciousness, but his race has not. Ultimately, the East was rejected by the West, though they were willing to steal deadly techniques.
The jacket represents the individual rising above their circumstances. It is the symbol of personal power. In a previous article, What’s so Great About Leather Jackets, we saw that leather can act as a personal armor. It can be a vehicle to deliver you into a situation fully prepared. Obviously, you might not want to bring a speedy motorbike or a samurai sword to your dinner party, but you get the idea. Whether you face steely glances or a gauntlet of dates, you have the tools sewn into a jacket. Now, unless you happen to be able to afford the original jumpsuit, you’ll have to stick with non-iconic designs.
Though neon yellow might not be your color, it represents the ‘I’ and vital energy. It is also represents assertiveness and a strong body. These are things we wish for you. Leather in all forms can represent fearlessness. When you by a copy of a copy of a copy the originality, or the spirit, of the commodity is erased.
As Bruce’s jumpsuit became Kiddo’s jacket, we saw the marketplace quickly absorb the idea behind it, erasing all of its vitality. Many websites are participants in the erasure of the referential meaning that Bruce and Tarantino are playing off. The jacket becomes devoid of its real value when it is ripped of the screen and into stores.
Custom jackets don’t do that.
Anyway, the jacket started as an accident. Golden Harvest studio had two jumpsuits. Why they had only two jumpsuits and why a jumpsuit was needed, we don’t know. Along comes a guy named Quentin Tarantino who grew up loving Kung Fu movies and samurai flicks. He managed to combine them into a yakuza bloodbath, while riffing on the cultural virus of Bruce Lee. Maybe in the future a director will be able to land himself in a discussion with the three, but for now it hasn’t happened.
That being said, individuality, freedom, and fearlessness are not dead. At least, they don’t have to be. As we move towards a period of health and wellness in the West, and the possibility of automating the roads, we may see individuality forced into new boxes.
For one thing, style is one of the freedoms we are allowed to maintain in Westworld. To a great extent, you can choose what to wear. You can choose your lifestyle. At Lusso Leather, we want to provide a bastion of hope in a world gone raving mad.
Another avenue of freedom is freedom of thought. Believe it or not, the choice to think and see is always ours. The yellow jacket doesn’t have to be just cool looking, it can make sense as a cultural artifact. It can tell a story.
The story of Bruce Lee overcoming unbeatable odds and landing onto your screens is a worthy one. The story of a nameless woman avenging her family’s death by defeating professional assassins is cool too. The story of the yellow jacket is fearlessness.