Leather Madness is a small leather company started by Kamal Kahn and a group of friends just 3 years ago. Someone wanted the leather jacket that Hugh Jackman wore as X-Men’s Wolverine and when they couldn’t find one, they dug up some pictures and took it to a leatherworker friend who constructed a prototype. They loved it so much that they each had one made. Next their friends wanted one, and a business was born. The first jackets were sold on eBay by various distributors, but now they can also be found on the Leather Madness website. Although they plan on expanding their leather products to include clothing, bags, accessories, etc, their current forte is jackets – particularly ones with designs taken from popular movies and celebrities. Seeing that I’m somewhat of a Trekkie (nerd-alert), I couldn’t help but test out the Star Trek Black Leather Jacket worn by Chris Pine in the Star Trek 2009 movie.
CONSTRUCTION
In order to create jackets from recent or upcoming movies, a research team looks for images from media and previews online to create prototype designs. All Leather Madness leather jackets are then made from full-grain leather from Karachi, Pakistan where leather is produced for major fashion labels all around the world. Two master leatherworkers finalize the designs and oversee a team of skilled workmen who create the jackets. This particular Star Trek jacket is made of tumble-washed sheepskin leather for a softer look and feel. The general structure is similar to a biker jacket with a slim tailored fit, but the stitching, pockets, and durable YKK zippers are designed to resemble the ones that Chris Pine wore in the movie. All stitching is double stitched for durability and the lining is polyester. The jacket was shipped directly from Pakistan through DHL and arrived to New York in about a week. The one thing I definitely noticed was the sheep-y smell from the jacket. Seeing that I was expecting a genuine sheepskin jacket, I’m not disappointed and it’s much less noticeable after a few weeks.
FUNCTION
This jacket is constructed to look like the Star Trek jacket, but it is very soft and supple while functioning like any quality leather jacket. Because it is a lighter jacket, it would be best for cold weather in the 50+ degree range, but I still wear it in 10 degree weather here under a larger down jacket. There are a bazillion pockets – two open hand warmer pockets in the front, two zipped front chest pockets, one inner pocket with an additional top pocket, one zipped pocket on the right upper arm, and one zipped pocket on the left lower arm. The cuffs are also zipped in case you need an expanded cuff for gloves. They are all functional pockets and the zippers feel substantial and glide very smoothly.
Although many of the jackets on the Leather Madness website would be better for cosplay conventions (ex: the Captain America jacket), this particular jacket works well as everyday casual outwear.
AESTHETIC
I chose to get the Star Trek jacket because I wanted a modern short open collar style jacket with that unique “saw it in a movie” appeal but didn’t scream costume. This ended up being a great decision. When I wore it to work for the first time, two coworkers stopped to touch and compliment the jacket. Words like “hot” and “no… seriously HOT” were thrown around. No one recognized it from Star Trek, and when I did mention it, it only added to the interest. If you don’t have a single leather biker jacket in your wardrobe, GET ONE. I now consider it a staple to any wardrobe.
There is a very detailed sizing chart on the Leather Madness website which helps you decide which size you should pick from XS to 3XL. If you want the perfect fit or have an uncommon body shape, you may decide to use custom sizing for $50 where you send in your measurements and they custom make a jacket for you. I fall between an XS and a S so I chose the XS for a better fit. It was a bit tight in the beginning but after about two days of wear, the jacket softened and molded to my build. Since leather stretches, I would definitely recommend getting the smaller size if you fall in between two sizes.
BESTLEATHER CONCLUSION
Leather Madness’s Star Trek Black Leather Jacket is a great buy for $169.99. I had my initial doubts that I would be receiving a genuine quality leather jacket in a reasonable time from a distant country, but I have been pleased with every aspect of this jacket and I have to give credit where it is due. If you are unsure about dropping hundreds of dollars for a jacket from the mall or want another casual everyday jacket for your collection, save yourself some hassle and money and check out Leather Madness.
