Lewis Leathers in popular culture
The influence of the D. Lewis brands Aviakit and Lewis Leathers spread beyond the UK to Europe and Japan[25] and to wherever there were British motorcycle scenes.[26] It advertised widely in the US, selling via mail order, becoming popular amongst leading motorcycle journalists,[27][28][29][30][31][32] and achieved a legendary status for its connection to the 'folk devil' Ton Up Boys and the 59 Club.[33] which it attended fortnightly during its heyday and sponsored.[34]
It became known for pioneering its large colour brochure, for producing coloured as well as black leathers, initially used for road racing from 1966 by Derek Minter in 1966 and Colin Seeley in 1967,[35][36] and for producing both aviation and motorcycle clothing for women since the 1930s.[12]
Lewis Leathers jackets have been worn by leading British punk and rock musicians, and fashion icons such as the members of The Damned, The Sex Pistols, Arctic Monkeys,[37] The Clash,[37] Motörhead, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Prodigy, Eric Clapton, Ewan McGregor[38] and Kate Moss,[22] as well as iconic Americans such as Lou Reed,[38] Joan Jett, Johnny Thunders, The Ramones, members of Suicide, The Hives[39]
They have been used in music videos, customised as fashion statements by designers such as Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm Maclaren of Seditionaries,[12][41] as costumes in theatrical productions by Derek Jarman,[42] and used in fashion shoots in magazines such as Vogue.[43] They were worn by such leading British counter-culture figures as Mick Farren,[44] and their purchase was portrayed as a rite of passage by authors such as Robert Elms.[45]
On its 120th anniversary, the company was featured in a guide to the most influential fashion shops in London.[46][47]
It retails through high class clothing stores internationally,[22] and has produced a range of custom jackets for a Rolling Stones tour.[12]
It maintains a large collection of vintage items and documentation from which it takes its references.[12]
