Every Jacket Tells a story

It’s post-war England and trouble was brewing, a rebellious, anti-government, counter culture, comprised of a subset of British youth was about to come racing on the scene. Literally.

In retrospect the Ton-Up Boys of the 50’s and beyond, although defined as a counter culture movement, simply loved a fast riding, risk taking, and death defying lifestyle (not in all cases). They were a generation of youth that enjoyed heart pumping, adrenaline filled rebellious lives. Contrary to some public opinion, they didn’t drink, they didn’t do drugs, and in fact despised those who did. They loved their cafés, and they loved racing. You could even say they were as authentic and genuine as they come, they lived true lives. Nothing personified the Café Racer more than their leather jackets, adorned with personalized buttons, badges and graphics. It was an apparel fingerprint.

And it all Started with Lewis Leathers and Their Café Racer Leather Jackets

Coming out of the war was somewhat challenging, Lewis Leathers was selling surplus military jackets to Britain’s youth, but shortly thereafter, once the jackets were gone, they turned their eyes to the motorcycle riding youth that was buying them. This was the birth of the leather motorcycle jacket worn by the café racers of the day.

Perhaps the first leather motorcycle jacket in mainstream production came from Schott, an American manufacturer out of New York, they built a leather jacket for Harley Davidson in the late 20’s, The Perfecto, but the claim as the originator and designer of the first café racer leather jacket is indisputably Lewis Leathers. At the end of the day Café Racing was a British phenomenon, and Lewis Leathers focused on selling leather jackets to these racers.

More Than Anything The Café Racer Leather Jacket Was a Symbol of the Rebellious British Motorcycle Sub-Culture of the 50’s and 60’s

Perhaps nothing influenced their place in British culture at the time more than their café racer leather jackets, it personified that rebellious personality they all exhibited. Sure, their bikes were fast, and customized for racing, and they were certainly rebellious, but their jackets travelled everywhere they went, and they were highly personalized, an extension of the café racer him or herself, it was the symbol of a British motorcycle sub-culture that to this day has a strong and growing base. The resurgence of the café racer and their leather jackets has spread across the globe, and at Ton-Up Clothing we celebrate the café racer, their jackets, and their culture more so than any other motorcycle clothing company operating today. If you are looking for a café racer leather jacket, either men’s or women’s, count on Ton Up Clothing to deliver the most authentic and classically British café racer jacket, made by none other than the company that started it all, Lewis Leathers. Let us help you Ton-Up your Lewis Leathers café racer leather jacket so you can start your own story.