Edward
Bartender
- Messages
- 26,311
- Location
- London, UK
I've seen a few of the British ones but not any of the German styles. Some of the button up styles look a little like late 19th/early 20th century military uniforms.
Yes, the military echo caught my attention as well. Entirely plausible they started out as military-influenced fashion before early motorcyclists caught on to the wind-cheating advantages of a fold-over front... Lewis, founded 1892, claim to have been the first dedicated motorcycle-wear company, which is quite possible.... early on, motorcyclists adopted what was practical; which accounts for engineer boots or riding boots, or harness boots in the US, and their British counterpart, which evolved out of horse-riding boots in the main. Notably, even today traditional-looking US motorcycle boots are more likely to have a raised heel like a cowboy boot, whereas the Brit & European boots tend to a flatter heel, as seen on riding boots over here.
Ross Langlitz was doing then in the mid 40s called it Cascade
I wonder was he influenced by Lewis? There'd be a nice symmetry in that, given the 1956-launched Lewis Bronx (even the name!) was very clearly influenced by the American jackets of the period.










