Description

Chapal is the reference for luxurious and meticulously crafted leather jackets and accessories. Founded in 1832 in Crocq​​,​​ Creuse​​,​​ as a tannery and fur maker​​,​​ Chapal's reputation slowly grew within France. They open their first Parisian atelier in the 1850's​​,​​ in Montreuil​​,​​ and create a new technique to treat fur​​,​​ mostly by tanning the leather with Colza oil. In 1878​​,​​ Chapal was decorated with the Gold Medal at the Paris World Fair​​,​​ followed by another in 1889. In 1881​​,​​ Chapal story expands to the United States with a new manufacture in Brooklyn. When WW1 starts​​,​​ Chapal creates leather jackets for pilots like the ace George Guynemer. This will become their core product by the 1930's​​,​​ notably their iconic B3 Bombardier leather jacket during WW2. By 1945​​,​​ Chapal is renowned for the quality of their hides and furs. They sublime products such as rabbit fur so that they ressemble more luxurious items like otter​​,​​ insulate sheep fur​​,​​ and create water-repellent for leather. In 1968​​,​​ the company becomes the official maker for the Winter Olympics in Grenoble​​,​​ and their creation are used by Parisian Haute-Couture like Christian Dior and Yves Saint-Laurent. Their technique to laminate leather jackets​​,​​ known as Chapalac​​,​​ become a best-seller. In 1982​​,​​ with its sixth-generation​​,​​ Chapal decides to produce leather goods under its own name​​,​​ inspired by the history of aviation and automobile. Jean-Paul Belmondo and his son Paul became important patrons. Today​​,​​ Chapal is still making some of the best leather in the world​​,​​ both ready-to-wear and bespoke​​,​​ with appointment at their shop Rue de Rivoli. I propose an iconic piece by Chapal: their black USAAF leather jacket. Inspired by the US Air Force Type A2 leather jacket and the US Navy G1 jacket of WW2​,​ it is the perfect example of a flight jacket and Chapal best-seller. Lined with cotton gabardine​​,​​ it features a detachable sheep fur collar​,​ brass zip fastener made in Switzerland by Riri​​,​​ a sublime glossy leather and quilted leather belt. It is perfect from Autumn to Spring​​,​​ as a statement piece for the week-end​​,​​ and is in excellent condition. The USAAF flight jacket is best fitted for someone with a 38UK​​/​48FR size​​,​​ around 1m75 to 1m80. Here are the measurements: Shoulders: ​​46cm Sleeve length: 64cm Chest: 55cm Waist at button: 54cm Jacket length: 64cm (collar included​​​​) Collar: 10cm Quality similar to the following houses: Aero Leather Clothing​​,​​ Balmain​​,​​ DROMe​​,​​ Gucci​,​ Hermès​​,​​ Rick Owens​​,​​ Saint Laurent​​,​​ Séraphin​​,​​ The Real McCoys​​,​​ Tom Ford​,​ Valstar​,​ Zilli Possible to try it in Paris 15th Arrondissement.