- Zara Patch Bomber Jacket ($100)
From Gucci and Valentino to Acne Studios, Moncler, and even fast-fashion retail stores like Zara, Topman, and H&M, everyone is getting into the bomber jacket this season, and for good reason—the classic bomber style makes for the perfect outdoor transition piece, easily dressed up with a shirt and tie or casually paired down with a hoodie and jeans. And the fact that style-conscious celebs like Kanye, Drake, and Jared Leto (amongst others) are rarely photographed without one clearly makes the classic bomber jacket the official “it-piece” of the season. So which style is right for you?
Well, before you start shopping, it’s good to know a little bit of the jacket’s history. The original bomber jacket was created by Alpha Industries in the mid 1950’s for American fighter pilots in World War I, and as time went on, it continued to be used by the military during World War II and beyond, eventually landing in the Korean and Vietnam conflicts—and that’s where things really got interesting. The American GI’s stationed throughout Asia and, more specifically, Japan, began getting traditional Japanese-style embroidery hand stitched onto the backs of the jackets, often using excess parachute silk to get it done. Those embroidered patterns and designs included tigers, dragons, cherry blossoms, and the obligatory American eagle, all of which would become a souvenir of sorts from their time in Asia (hence the name “souvenir” jackets, or “sukajan” in Japanese).
More recently, “Chinoiserie,” or the use of Chinese motifs and techniques, has been making its way onto the jackets, initially popping up throughout the spring/summer 2015 catwalks with designers like Louis Vuitton and Dolce & Gabbana heavily embracing the eastern-inspired prints and patterns. For this year, the designs continue (and then some), but with thicker materials and fabrics more suited for the colder temps of the fall/winter seasons. They’ve also updated the silhouettes, trading in the more traditional boxy-er cuts in favor of slimmer, more fitted looks.
So what does all this mean for you? Well, you’ve certainly got your choice of options, whether you go classic military-inspired green, black, embroidered, nylon, and yes, even velvet, there’s no shortage of looks and styles for this classic piece of Americana outerwear. One note of caution though: If you do opt for one of the more heavily detailed embroidered looks, try and keep the rest of your outfit rather simple—no loud patterns or colors, as they can easily clash with the hard-working detail of all that Asian-inspired stitching.
