Vanson VAJ-3

[greenc]

Hi everyone,

Hope the weeks off to a good start and that your respective World Cup teams are hanging in there. I saw a previous thread about this but it didn't really get into the detail that I need.

I've found a Vanson VAJ-3 that is from 2010 in competition weight leather - as confirmed by Vanson via the serial number - and I'm quite interested in it, but I'm unsure of how the jacket is generally meant to fit.

I know that it's a slim cut, but how does it look from the back? The back panel has a centre seam but then a curved panel on each side to give it structure and shape. The seller lists the following measurements, which seem quite odd:

Shoulders: 44cm
Pit-to-pit: 44.5 cm
Sleeve: 58cm
Length: 61cm

Is it even possible to have a 44.5cm chest measurement with 44cm shoulders?

If anyone can help with thoughts or better yet photos of the VAJ-3 being worn I'd be very appreciative, thank you. Looking forward to your thoughts, speak soon.

Chris

 

[Zoro]

Found a couple threads rather quickly pasting Vanson VAJ-3 on Google:

Vanson (VAJ-3) City jacket Sz L

its a bad name for a very cool jacket. Just a bit too snug for me. I believe it's made from comp weight leather. Heavier than the z150 I've owned (grainier too). Very cool jacket with exterior and interior pockets galore. Lining and leather, zips all perfect. Zero issues. Very nice piece of...

www.thefedoralounge.com

Help me ID this Vanson

On ebay right now, not my size, Japanese seller, so way too expensive, and the description only talks about the terms of sale, doesn't really provide a description of hte item. It's a Vanson, but what model?

www.thefedoralounge.com

 

[greenc]

Thank you @Zoro I saw both of those the other day, but neither seemed to answer my question. It’s a jacket that I don’t believe was made I large quantities and they seemed to modify them a variety of ways for the Japanese market.

I was hoping that someone with firsthand experience could comment about fit, and to potentially help me decipher the seller’s measurements.

I know from speaking with Vanson previously that they usually go for 5-inches of ease through the chest, which is fine, but with a shoulder measurement of 44cm I don’t see how P2P of 44.5cm makes sense.

 

[jacketjunkie]

Yeah, don't think this model has the same shoulder and chest measurement.. try to find old sale ads and check measurements there or ask the seller for a pic with tape. My guess is it is at least 48-49 cm chest

 

[greenc]

Thank you @jacketjunkie yhat’s my thought too.

I should back up a moment - what’s thrown me for a loop is the fact that the size label is 34, yet it apparently has 44cm shoulders, which got me wondering if Vansons are just cut a bit larger.

This particular style is slim fitting, Vanson confirmed that. So the measurements don’t make sense. That said, I’m terrible with imagining patterns so who knows. I’ve asked the seller in Japan for photos of the tape on the jacket so we’ll see.

It’s a very cool piece!

 

[01flhr]

Wow, what a name.

 

[floater]

Thank you @Zoro I saw both of those the other day, but neither seemed to answer my question. It’s a jacket that I don’t believe was made I large quantities and they seemed to modify them a variety of ways for the Japanese market.

I was hoping that someone with firsthand experience could comment about fit, and to potentially help me decipher the seller’s measurements.

I know from speaking with Vanson previously that they usually go for 5-inches of ease through the chest, which is fine, but with a shoulder measurement of 44cm I don’t see how P2P of 44.5cm makes sense.

Iirc, this jacket was made by vanson after their collaboration with Japanese designer junya watanabe, who back in ‘07 designed a very similar cafe racer to be made by vanson for his FW ‘07 mainline runway show, and later sold under the mainline Comme des Garcons Junya Watanabe MAN label and Vanson label.

The collab was a huge hit and they later did a second collaboration for his diffusion line using the same design but with z150 leather instead of comp weight and a red lining instead of camo, the side adjusters were also switched to the lower front vs lower back on the original design.

Subsequently, after both collabs sold out, I believe vanson started getting requests for custom builds with this design, to which vanson stated they could make something similar but not the exact same design.

I’m honestly not sure which came first though, the city jacket aka vaj-3 or the collab racer with Junya, but either way they’re very similar.

I personally prefer the first collab which I have in jp size “SS” which translates to XS or 34.

It’s definitely a slim fitting pattern but still a vanson pattern nonetheless, it’s body hugging but still allows for great mobility, once broken-in of course being comp weight, and has ample shoulder gussets, it’s my tightest fitting jacket but I still use it on the bike.

Here it is next to a sz 36 bodie and sz 34 speedster for reference.

Measurement wise I get the following:
S2s, 42
P2p, 47.5
Slv, 59
Boc-L, 56-61
Waist, 41
Hem, 42

 

[greenc]

@floater thank you very much, this is exactly the information that I was looking for! I really appreciate the photos and background.

The jacket I'm looking at has neither the back yoke nor the side adjusters that the collab did, however, it has two added panels of stitching that give it the look of a Ragland sleeve. It's a cool piece that I'm about to purchase so I'm quite happy.

Again, your help made a difference and I'm very grateful. Take care and enjoy the day. Best of luck to your World Cup team, whoever they may be.

 

[floater]

@floater thank you very much, this is exactly the information that I was looking for! I really appreciate the photos and background.

The jacket I'm looking at has neither the back yoke nor the side adjusters that the collab did, however, it has two added panels of stitching that give it the look of a Ragland sleeve. It's a cool piece that I'm about to purchase so I'm quite happy.

Again, your help made a difference and I'm very grateful. Take care and enjoy the day. Best of luck to your World Cup team, whoever they may be.

I’ve seen that jacket before although most have at least something different between them, mostly the upper chest pocket configuration and placement, and all of them have the differences you mentioned with the collab racer.

If you’re considering that jacket in sz 34, you might want to consider the collab instead, especially because the collab has the shoulder gussets and the city jacket doesn’t.

And Iirc @jeo had one for sale at a really good price here, same collab and size as mine, I recall I was considering buying it as a spare, and I don’t think he ever posted that it sold.

But whichever way you go, I hope you enjoy your new jacket.

Cheers!