[DEEP DIVE] AVIATOR JACKET

Welcome back to "DEEP DIVE" where we take a look into the inspiration behind some of our favorite Engineered Garments pieces. In this installation, we are featuring the "Aviator Jacket", the Engineered Garments version of the modern flight jacket. 

In the tail end of the 1940’s, the advent of jet engine technology radically changed the abilities and limits of conventional aircraft capabilities. The Bell X-1 and Fairey Delta 1’s supersonic speeds meant that the fleece lined leather jackets - like the A-2 and G-1 - created for piston-powered propeller planes, could no longer satisfy the needs of military aircraft pilots.  

In the new generation of flight jackets came the B-15, with its signature mouton collar, followed by the now-ubiquitous MA-1 and L2-B Bomber Flight Jackets, famously manufactured by Alpha Industries after the firm won a large government contract in 1963. After the frenzy of synthetic material development in the late 1930’s and 40’s, these jackets were considered state of the art. The signature nylon-shell on these military-issue jackets was water-resistant, easy to move around in, and hard to scratch or tarnish, while the Dupont Dacron Hollofil lining provided warmth without being overly weighty. 

The Engineered Garments Aviator Jacket takes inspiration from each of these flight jackets: the low-cut standing collar, elastic jacket cuff, and of course arm pocket - which was created to hold the pilots’ pens, pencils, and cigarette packets. Even the inside hourglass stitched lining is an homage to the lineup of flight jackets the US military commissioned in the 20th century. 

But perhaps the Aviator Jacket’s closest relative is the CWU-7P (Cold Weather Utility Jacket - Model 7P), a lesser known military jacket made for USAF mechanics and ground crew.  This includes the most prominent details found on the Engineered Garments version such as the collar tab, and straight waistband, compared to the elastic waistband typically found on flight jackets.  

A love letter to these military garments, the Engineered Garments Aviator fully stands on its own. True to the original flight jacket spirit, the FW21 Aviator Jacket is manufactured in different colors of Flight Satin Nylon, and other military-inspired fabric such as Heavyweight Cotton Ripstop. Better still, customers can enjoy more unconventional fabrics such as Indigo 10oz Broken Denim. Whatever the fabric, the wide shape and roomy nature of the jacket means that it is easy to layer with a vest or a hoodie as the fall weather approaches.

The Aviator Jacket is available the following fabrics:

• Black Flight Satin Nylon
• Olive Flight Satin Nylon
• Coyote Flight Satin Nylon
• Black Coated Twill
• Black Heavyweight Cotton Ripstop
• Olive Heavyweight Cotton Ripstop
• Indigo 10oz Broken Denim

Available in-store and online at nepenthesny.com