The Moleskin Bomber
The bomber jacket will always be an alluring piece of clothing. There is so much history behind it, with its short, boxy cut and distinctive detailing instantly referencing heroic aviators of the Allied Forces; the men and women that paved the way for our freedom. It’s a garment that’s been romanticised in a way, and rightfully so. From classic shearling flying jackets through to more modern nylon versions, bomber jackets are among the most loved pieces of outerwear. This is likely down to their heritage, but also their functional design. There is just something appealing about a garment designed for a purpose. The combination of useful detailing and a cut that aids the wearer in their task is a winning one. Which is why we turned to the bomber in the first place.
The Moleskin Bomber
The bomber jacket will always be an alluring piece of clothing. There is so much history behind it, with its short, boxy cut and distinctive detailing instantly referencing heroic aviators of the Allied Forces; the men and women that paved the way for our freedom. It’s a garment that’s been romanticised in a way, and rightfully so. From classic shearling flying jackets through to more modern nylon versions, bomber jackets are among the most loved pieces of outerwear. This is likely down to their heritage, but also their functional design. There is just something appealing about a garment designed for a purpose. The combination of useful detailing and a cut that aids the wearer in their task is a winning one. Which is why we turned to the bomber in the first place.
Many of the best designs borrow from multiple sources. We could have very easily made a reproduction bomber jacket, but instead of producing a carbon copy of a particular style, from the A-2 to the MA-1, we decided to draw inspiration from multiple. And we went with a fabric we’ve been working with for decades, but which you wouldn’t usually find on a military design: moleskin. This is our Moleskin Bomber jacket, and it’s one of the coolest, easiest and most stylish pieces from our entire collection. It’s a bit of a chameleon in that it’s inherently a casual piece, but its slim, tailored cut and luxurious detailing ensures it’s well at home as part of a smarter look. However you choose to wear yours, the moleskin bomber combines a vintage-inspired design with a soft, comfortable fabric and practical pockets, both inside and out.
A SERIES OF BOMBERS FROM THE ARCHIVE (L-R: A1, A2 & MA STYLES)
But rather than make a reproduction one, we spliced together our own, producing a contemporary, comfortable and stylish update on the classic aviator. Ours is a sort of hybrid, mixing the best of classic styles including the A-1, A-2 and MA-1 bombers that were issued at various points to the US Air Force throughout the 20th century. It’s got the A-1 centre button fastening; the A-2’s button flap pockets, and the MA-1’s more minimal, ribbed collar. But with the moleskin fabric it injects our own slice of British, and specifically, Manchester style. Traditional bomber jackets were made of leather, while later versions like the MA-1 were cut from nylon and polyester blends. For our bomber we’ve turned to a beautiful moleskin fabric, which is both distinctly British and something we’ve worked with in our factory for decades.
Moleskin is typically a countrywear fabric. You’ll find it on trousers and shooting jackets, as an alternative to tweed. Back in the day a lot of shooting clothing came through our factory, crafted by many of the hands that are still with us today. Moleskin was favoured for its tough, durable qualities and its dense weave, which made it exceptionally warm. Indeed, moleskin is often very heavy and thick, which makes it impractical for lots of uses, but it’s always been associated with country clothing. The fabric we’ve used for our bomber though is the opposite. It’s still technically moleskin, but it’s remarkably soft, with its tactile brushed finish giving it an almost cashmere-like feel. It’s also lightweight and breathable, and comes with 2% elastane, giving it a subtle stretch that helps the garment move with you rather than against you.
It’s still durable, too, and is coated with our Ecoseam water-resistant finish, so while it might not be entirely appropriate for a day grouse shooting, it would keep you dry in a light shower. And it nicely ties back to our own heritage and the fabric’s association with the wider British outerwear industry. It gives our bomber jacket its own flavour, further distinguishing it from the US-issued pieces of decades gone by. But above all else, it’s just a beautifully made, luxurious fabric that you’ll love to wear.
So what else makes our bomber special? There’s the buttons themselves, which are real-horn sourced from the British Isles. They’re large but not too large, allowing you to button the jacket up to the neck for warmth, while also looking cool left undone. There’s the poppers below at the hem, which are a mixture of gun metal grey and copper. Snap them shut when you’re feeling the chill, or leave them open to reveal that subtle hint of metallic orange.
Speaking of the hem, it's ribbed along with the cuffs and collar, tying the jacket together and offering up plenty of comfort. The pockets are, naturally, a stand out feature. The two external ones boast buttoned flaps for added security, but they also feature side entry, hand warmer pockets inside them. It’s a complex technique for our fastidiously skilled factory workers, and one we’ve perfected over the years. Like all of our outerwear, the bomber also features two interior pockets, which are ideal for storing your phone and wallet, while the lining is 100% cotton.
For the fit we’ve gone with a slightly more tailored, slimmer cut than we usually use. This gives the bomber a contemporary look versus more traditional takes, which are usually boxy and, as a result, sloppy. This more refined cut means it can easily cross over from casualwear into smarter attire. You can therefore combine our bomber with sharp tailored trousers and a rollneck, and be the best dressed guy in the room every time. Pleated or flat fronted trousers work; just ensure they have a mid to high rise, which will complement the jacket’s slightly cropped length.
The Moleskin Bomber is a natural pairing for jeans and a simple tee though. Is there a look more effortless than this all-American classic combination? Throw in a bit of classic British fabric and our made in Manchester construction and it becomes unbeatable.
Many of the best designs borrow from multiple sources. We could have very easily made a reproduction bomber jacket, but instead of producing a carbon copy of a particular style, from the A-2 to the MA-1, we decided to draw inspiration from multiple. And we went with a fabric we’ve been working with for decades, but which you wouldn’t usually find on a military design: moleskin. This is our Moleskin Bomber jacket, and it’s one of the coolest, easiest and most stylish pieces from our entire collection. It’s a bit of a chameleon in that it’s inherently a casual piece, but its slim, tailored cut and luxurious detailing ensures it’s well at home as part of a smarter look. However you choose to wear yours, the moleskin bomber combines a vintage-inspired design with a soft, comfortable fabric and practical pockets, both inside and out.
A SERIES OF BOMBERS FROM THE ARCHIVE (L-R: A1, A2 & MA STYLES)
THE MOLESKIN BOMBER
But rather than make a reproduction one, we spliced together our own, producing a contemporary, comfortable and stylish update on the classic aviator. Ours is a sort of hybrid, mixing the best of classic styles including the A-1, A-2 and MA-1 bombers that were issued at various points to the US Air Force throughout the 20th century. It’s got the A-1 centre button fastening; the A-2’s button flap pockets, and the MA-1’s more minimal, ribbed collar. But with the moleskin fabric it injects our own slice of British, and specifically, Manchester style. Traditional bomber jackets were made of leather, while later versions like the MA-1 were cut from nylon and polyester blends. For our bomber we’ve turned to a beautiful moleskin fabric, which is both distinctly British and something we’ve worked with in our factory for decades.
Moleskin is typically a countrywear fabric. You’ll find it on trousers and shooting jackets, as an alternative to tweed. Back in the day a lot of shooting clothing came through our factory, crafted by many of the hands that are still with us today.
Moleskin was favoured for its tough, durable qualities and its dense weave, which made it exceptionally warm. Indeed, moleskin is often very heavy and thick, which makes it impractical for lots of uses, but it’s always been associated with country clothing. The fabric we’ve used for our bomber though is the opposite. It’s still technically moleskin, but it’s remarkably soft, with its tactile brushed finish giving it an almost cashmere-like feel. It’s also lightweight and breathable, and comes with 2% elastane, giving it a subtle stretch that helps the garment move with you rather than against you.
It’s still durable, too, and is coated with our Ecoseam water-resistant finish, so while it might not be entirely appropriate for a day grouse shooting, it would keep you dry in a light shower. And it nicely ties back to our own heritage and the fabric’s association with the wider British outerwear industry. It gives our bomber jacket its own flavour, further distinguishing it from the US-issued pieces of decades gone by. But above all else, it’s just a beautifully made, luxurious fabric that you’ll love to wear.
So what else makes our bomber special? There’s the buttons themselves, which are real-horn sourced from the British Isles. They’re large but not too large, allowing you to button the jacket up to the neck for warmth, while also looking cool left undone. There’s the poppers below at the hem, which are a mixture of gun metal grey and copper. Snap them shut when you’re feeling the chill, or leave them open to reveal that subtle hint of metallic orange.
Speaking of the hem, it's ribbed along with the cuffs and collar, tying the jacket together and offering up plenty of comfort. The pockets are, naturally, a stand out feature. The two external ones boast buttoned flaps for added security, but they also feature side entry, hand warmer pockets inside them. It’s a complex technique for our fastidiously skilled factory workers, and one we’ve perfected over the years. Like all of our outerwear, the bomber also features two interior pockets, which are ideal for storing your phone and wallet, while the lining is 100% cotton.
For the fit we’ve gone with a slightly more tailored, slimmer cut than we usually use. This gives the bomber a contemporary look versus more traditional takes, which are usually boxy and, as a result, sloppy. This more refined cut means it can easily cross over from casualwear into smarter attire. You can therefore combine our bomber with sharp tailored trousers and a rollneck, and be the best dressed guy in the room every time. Pleated or flat fronted trousers work; just ensure they have a mid to high rise, which will complement the jacket’s slightly cropped length.
The Moleskin Bomber is a natural pairing for jeans and a simple tee though. Is there a look more effortless than this all-American classic combination? Throw in a bit of classic British fabric and our made in Manchester construction and it becomes unbeatable.
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