A mirage. A fever dream. The Keyser Söze of vintage leather jacket makers.
That’s how I saw Trojan Leather Sportswear when I first discovered the brand. New to the leather jacket scene, I was captivated by their sharp designs and the striking label of a Trojan warrior that defined their identity.
It struck me as strange that a brand whose jackets were made 80 or 90 years ago could be adored online by people who knew nothing about its creators. Considering the blood, sweat, and artistry poured into these pieces, I set out to uncover the story—and the people—behind Trojan Leather Sportswear.
(Source: Rin Tanaka’s Motorcycle Jackets: A Century of Leather Design):
Following the Paper Trail
My search began in the winter of 2024. I started where any good paper trail might lead—the California Secretary of State’s business database, home to records of corporations, LLCs, and partnerships.
But Trojan Leather wasn’t there. Not a trace.
From there, I turned to archived Los Angeles Yellow Page directories, chasing any lead I could find. Eventually, one surfaced: a single entry in the 1957 Los Angeles Yellow Pages—
A small line of text—but the first real clue in the mystery. I continued searching through the winter, though only passively, and paused once spring arrived. This fall, I picked up the trail again, revisiting dozens of archived Yellow and White Page directories and expanding the search to include address directories—records showing who lived or operated a business at a given location.
The first solid lead on who was behind Trojan Leather appeared in March 1960 Los Angeles Street Address Directory, which listed Rose D and William A. (W.A.) Cox as proprietors.
Not coincidentally, they also lived at 5346 Crenshaw, which connects to the apartments directly above 5348 Crenshaw—what I believe was Trojan’s final location. Below is how it looks today, with the old shop door still visible on the right:
Armed with a name, I began searching for any information I could find on William A. and Rose D. Cox. The trail led back to 1935, where a directory listing showed a Rose Cox working as a leatherworker at Leather-Wear Co. Interestingly, the company also ran classified ads seeking operators skilled in leather coats:
Los Angeles City Directory 1935
Volume: 1935 Date published: 1935
The Los Angeles Times
Sat, Jul 27, 1935
The next hit for William and Rose came in the 1936 LA city directory. This was important because it shows that William A. was a sheet metal worker by trade and not aligned with the leather industry. Rose was the leather worker and likely driving force behind Trojan:
Los Angeles Directory Co's Los Angeles City Directory 1936
The following Yellow Pages ad comes from the 1948 edition and lists their address as 420 S. Main Street. This location is notable because it makes a brief appearance in the film The Street with No Name. I believe this may have been Trojan Leather’s first address, and that they operated there only for a short period. Furthermore, I believe the 1932 date highlighted in their advertising may mark when Rose first began working with leather.
Stills from the film of 420 S.Main Street:
The next-to-last directory listing for Trojan Leather (the 1960 listing being the last, as noted above) dates to 1956–1957, once again showing the Coxes’ names associated with Trojan and/or its address. Notably, the Coxes appear to have done little local advertising, likely focusing more on motorcycle-related magazines. By 1961, both ads and directory listings for Trojan had disappeared entirely.
Where Was the Trojan Factory?
My research suggests that the Trojan factory—made famous by the “Largest Factory to You” slogan on their labels—was located at 1024 South La Brea, as shown in some advertisements.
“Factory” might be a loose term, though, since I found only one name associated with that address: Cecelia Lozier (née Klinger), listed as a dressmaker from the early 1940s through the late 1950s.
(Advertisement from 1956, source: Rin Tanaka’s Motorcycle Jackets: A Century of Leather Design)
Cecelia’s husband’s 1942 draft card also lists this address, further linking her to the operation.
1956 Los Angeles Address Directory for Cecelia Lozier
Ad for Leather Operators From The Southwest Wave
Los Angeles, California • Thu, Apr 12, 1956Page 26
Who Were the Coxes?
Rose Cox (née Omieczynski) was born February 7, 1896, in Missouri to Polish parents from Warsaw. William A. Cox, born around 1871–74 in California, was over twenty years her senior. Rose died in 1964 at 68; William followed three years later, cared for by his niece in Wilmington, Los Angeles. The couple had no children.
Who was Cecelia Lozier (nee Klinger)?
I couldn’t find much information about Celia Lozier or her husband, Alex. They tied the knot in their middle age and were Romanian (Alex) and Polish (Celia). Celia shared Polish ancestry with Rose Cox, who was born in the United States to Polish parents.
The San Bernardino County Sun Tue, Aug 27, 1940 ·Page 19
More Questions Than Answers
While I believe we now know some of the people behind Trojan Leather Sportswear, the question of who owned Trojan remains unclear. Did Rose Cox and Cecelia Lozier co-own the brand? Or was it Rose’s company that contracted with Cecelia (and others) to produce the jackets?
I envision something like the made-to-order or made-to-measure names producing jackets today—small-scale, artisanal operations rather than large industrial ones.
Research ongoing — I’d welcome any leads, advertisements, or additional information that might shed more light on Trojan Leather Sportswear and the people behind it.
That’s how I saw Trojan Leather Sportswear when I first discovered the brand. New to the leather jacket scene, I was captivated by their sharp designs and the striking label of a Trojan warrior that defined their identity.
It struck me as strange that a brand whose jackets were made 80 or 90 years ago could be adored online by people who knew nothing about its creators. Considering the blood, sweat, and artistry poured into these pieces, I set out to uncover the story—and the people—behind Trojan Leather Sportswear.
(Source: Rin Tanaka’s Motorcycle Jackets: A Century of Leather Design):
Following the Paper Trail
My search began in the winter of 2024. I started where any good paper trail might lead—the California Secretary of State’s business database, home to records of corporations, LLCs, and partnerships.
But Trojan Leather wasn’t there. Not a trace.
From there, I turned to archived Los Angeles Yellow Page directories, chasing any lead I could find. Eventually, one surfaced: a single entry in the 1957 Los Angeles Yellow Pages—
A small line of text—but the first real clue in the mystery. I continued searching through the winter, though only passively, and paused once spring arrived. This fall, I picked up the trail again, revisiting dozens of archived Yellow and White Page directories and expanding the search to include address directories—records showing who lived or operated a business at a given location.
The first solid lead on who was behind Trojan Leather appeared in March 1960 Los Angeles Street Address Directory, which listed Rose D and William A. (W.A.) Cox as proprietors.
Not coincidentally, they also lived at 5346 Crenshaw, which connects to the apartments directly above 5348 Crenshaw—what I believe was Trojan’s final location. Below is how it looks today, with the old shop door still visible on the right:
Armed with a name, I began searching for any information I could find on William A. and Rose D. Cox. The trail led back to 1935, where a directory listing showed a Rose Cox working as a leatherworker at Leather-Wear Co. Interestingly, the company also ran classified ads seeking operators skilled in leather coats:
Los Angeles City Directory 1935
Volume: 1935 Date published: 1935
The Los Angeles Times
Sat, Jul 27, 1935
The next hit for William and Rose came in the 1936 LA city directory. This was important because it shows that William A. was a sheet metal worker by trade and not aligned with the leather industry. Rose was the leather worker and likely driving force behind Trojan:
Los Angeles Directory Co's Los Angeles City Directory 1936
The following Yellow Pages ad comes from the 1948 edition and lists their address as 420 S. Main Street. This location is notable because it makes a brief appearance in the film The Street with No Name. I believe this may have been Trojan Leather’s first address, and that they operated there only for a short period. Furthermore, I believe the 1932 date highlighted in their advertising may mark when Rose first began working with leather.
Stills from the film of 420 S.Main Street:
The next-to-last directory listing for Trojan Leather (the 1960 listing being the last, as noted above) dates to 1956–1957, once again showing the Coxes’ names associated with Trojan and/or its address. Notably, the Coxes appear to have done little local advertising, likely focusing more on motorcycle-related magazines. By 1961, both ads and directory listings for Trojan had disappeared entirely.
Where Was the Trojan Factory?
My research suggests that the Trojan factory—made famous by the “Largest Factory to You” slogan on their labels—was located at 1024 South La Brea, as shown in some advertisements.
“Factory” might be a loose term, though, since I found only one name associated with that address: Cecelia Lozier (née Klinger), listed as a dressmaker from the early 1940s through the late 1950s.
(Advertisement from 1956, source: Rin Tanaka’s Motorcycle Jackets: A Century of Leather Design)
Cecelia’s husband’s 1942 draft card also lists this address, further linking her to the operation.
1956 Los Angeles Address Directory for Cecelia Lozier
Ad for Leather Operators From The Southwest Wave
Los Angeles, California • Thu, Apr 12, 1956Page 26
Who Were the Coxes?
Rose Cox (née Omieczynski) was born February 7, 1896, in Missouri to Polish parents from Warsaw. William A. Cox, born around 1871–74 in California, was over twenty years her senior. Rose died in 1964 at 68; William followed three years later, cared for by his niece in Wilmington, Los Angeles. The couple had no children.
Who was Cecelia Lozier (nee Klinger)?
I couldn’t find much information about Celia Lozier or her husband, Alex. They tied the knot in their middle age and were Romanian (Alex) and Polish (Celia). Celia shared Polish ancestry with Rose Cox, who was born in the United States to Polish parents.
The San Bernardino County Sun Tue, Aug 27, 1940 ·Page 19
More Questions Than Answers
While I believe we now know some of the people behind Trojan Leather Sportswear, the question of who owned Trojan remains unclear. Did Rose Cox and Cecelia Lozier co-own the brand? Or was it Rose’s company that contracted with Cecelia (and others) to produce the jackets?
I envision something like the made-to-order or made-to-measure names producing jackets today—small-scale, artisanal operations rather than large industrial ones.
