Flight jacket
The U.S. Army officially established the Aviation Clothing Board in September 1917 and began distributing heavy-duty leather flight jackets; with high wraparound collars, zipper closures with wind flaps, snug cuffs and waists, and some fringed and lined with fur.
In 1926 he set up a manufacturing company in the United Kingdom, and became the main supplier of flying jackets to the Royal Air Force during most of World War II.
Some heavy bombing raids in Europe during World War II took place from altitudes of at least 25,000 ft (7,600 m), where ambient temperatures could reach as cold as −50 °C (−58 °F).
Although General “Hap” Arnold cancelled the original A-2 after twelve years because he wanted "something better", the A-2 remains the most recognizable and sought-after American flight jacket.
Hollywood films like Top Gun boosted sales of the G-1 tremendously, making bomber jackets collector and fashion items.
The varsity letters were first customized by Harvard University in 1865 and originally designed to reward baseball players on their teams as a token for exceptional performance.
These "letterman" (also known as "varsity") sweaters or jackets were worn to represent the social identities of athletes and reflect a strong sense of team spirit, pride of belonging to a particular school, and values of collectivism.
As the trend of letterman jackets spread among colleges and teenagers after WWII, the concept was expanded to award the performance of students in aspects other than sports.
With the global trend of hip hop in recent years, bomber jackets have become an essential fashion item that includes varied design elements.
The B-15 jacket consisted of a fur collar made of cotton which was later changed to nylon after 1945 since it was considered more suitable because it is water resistant and kept perspiration out (Cruz, 2016).
Notably in 1951, Kensuke Ishizu established his brand VAN[citation needed] that gave Japanese youth culture stylish clothing not found locally such as oxford shirts and slim trousers.
For instance, the S/S 2000 collections from Raf Simons which changed the original design into a more symmetrical form, the elongated bombers from Rick Owens, floral printed versions from Balenciaga, Dries Van Noten and many more.
[5][failed verification] Since then, original bomber jackets were made in heavy-duty leather in order to provide warmth for military pilots.
Materials of civilian bomber-style fashion jackets are continuously changed each season to bring unconventional styles that cater to customers' needs.
Decorative elements like ruffles, embroidered patchwork, lace-ups are also added to the bomber jackets, making them an essential fashion item that comes in various colors, fabrications, and styles.
Bomber jackets originally appeared in a midnight blue hue, which was later switched to a sage green after the Korean and Vietnamese wars since it was easier for soldiers to camouflage themselves amongst the forests or countryside during the 1960s.
