{"product_id":"original-1950s-french-canadienne-barnstormer-mackinaw-jacket-xl","title":"Original 1940s French 'Canadienne' Barnstormer Mackinaw Jacket","description":"\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eIn the France of the late 1940s and early 1950s, the Canadienne belonged to a generation of outerwear built when protection from the weather was still a serious consideration. Descended from the heavy cold-weather coats associated with North American workwear, travel and early motoring, the idea developed a distinctly French character and became known simply as \u003cem\u003ela Canadienne\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis original example survives from that world, and it is an unusually complete one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCut from substantial dark brown leather, its long body and overlapping double-breasted front were designed to put material between the wearer and the weather. Three pairs of distinctive leather football-style fastenings close the front, a shaped yoke sweeps across the shoulders and around the back, and four useful pockets give the coat the purposeful character of serious mid-century outerwear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut the real ingenuity is hidden inside.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA substantial real sheepskin liner can be completely removed from the leather shell, while the deep brown sheepskin collar is detachable in its own right. Fully assembled, the Canadienne becomes formidable winter clothing. Dense cream fleece insulates the body, the broad pile collar protects the neck and the overlapping leather front provides another barrier against cold and wind. Remove them and the same garment becomes a considerably lighter leather coat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat adaptability tells us much about the thinking behind clothing of this period. The long body provides coverage, the double-breasted construction gives additional protection across the torso and the generous pockets offer genuine utility. Button-fastened leather tabs close the sleeves, while the removable insulation allows one garment to follow its owner through changing seasons. Nothing feels added simply for appearance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore than seventy years have now left their mark on the leather. The dominant colour remains a rich dark brown, with warmer brown emerging naturally around the shoulders, seams, cuffs, pocket edges and hem. Fine scratches cross the hide, edges have softened and creases record years of movement. The wear does not follow a neat or predictable pattern because it was never designed to. It accumulated.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is no surviving maker's label and no identifiable manufacturer's marking on the fastening, so we would rather leave its maker unresolved than manufacture a provenance the garment cannot support. Its construction tells enough of the story: a French Canadienne from the late 1940s to early 1950s, still accompanied by the removable sheepskin components that allowed it to perform the job for which it was made.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToday, coats of this general family are sometimes described by collectors using terms such as Mackinaw or Barnstormer, reflecting their relationship with earlier cold-weather, motoring and outdoor clothing. For this French example, however, its original cultural identity is better expressed by the name under which the form became established in France: \u003cem\u003ela Canadienne\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore than seven decades later, it remains exactly what good winter clothing was intended to be: substantial, adaptable and built to endure.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eA survivor from an era when winter clothing was equipment first, and style followed naturally.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan role=\"text\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition \u0026amp; Restoration\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVery good vintage condition for an original French leather Canadienne dating from approximately the late 1940s to early 1950s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe substantial dark brown leather remains strong and structurally sound, with a well-established surface developed through decades of genuine use. Natural creasing, rubbing, fine scratches and areas of finish wear are present throughout, with warmer brown emerging principally around the shoulders, seams, cuffs, pocket edges and hem. These marks are consistent with the garment's age and form an important part of its character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eImportantly, both of the removable cold-weather components remain with the coat. The substantial real sheepskin body liner retains dense natural cream fleece, while the detachable deep brown sheepskin collar is also present and remains particularly well preserved. Together they allow the Canadienne to be worn in its complete winter configuration or stripped back to the lighter leather outer shell.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is no surviving maker's label, and the fastening carries no identifiable manufacturer's marking. No specific maker has therefore been attributed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe jacket has been specialist leather cleaned and conditioned in-house, with care taken to preserve its naturally aged surface and established character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs part of the restoration, the leather has also been carefully reshaped to reduce undesirable set-in creasing caused by prolonged wear and storage, restoring a more natural structure and drape without altering the jacket's original construction or removing the character of the hide.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe distinctive leather front fastenings, sleeve hardware and remaining fittings have also been carefully cleaned.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan role=\"text\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKey Features\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOriginal French Canadienne\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCirca late 1940s to early 1950s\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSubstantial dark brown leather shell\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLong protective cold-weather cut\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDouble-breasted construction\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThree pairs of distinctive leather football-style fastenings\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDetachable deep brown real sheepskin collar\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRemovable real sheepskin body liner\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDense natural cream fleece\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCan be worn with or without its winter components\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShaped shoulder yoke extending across the front and back\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTwo upper slash pockets with pointed leather reinforcement\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTwo substantial lower flap pockets\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFour-pocket front\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eButton-fastened leather sleeve tabs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNaturally developed period wear and surface character\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNo surviving maker's label\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpecialist restored in-house\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClassic French mid-century cold-weather outerwear\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan role=\"text\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGarment Measurements, Laid Flat\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChest, armpit to armpit: 26\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShoulders, seam to seam: 21.5\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShoulder seam to cuff: 26\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUnderarm seam to cuff: 18\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBack length, base of collar to hem: 34\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eBest suited to approximately a 46\" chest, Size XL, allowing for a comfortable fit with the sheepskin liner in place. For the best indication of fit, please compare the measurements above with a similar jacket you already own.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Revive \u0026 Restore Vintage","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54812762079555,"sku":"EB5115","price":500.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0786\/2232\/7107\/files\/IMG_5362_5254d5f4-fddf-47c6-b910-fc93a586f59b.jpg?v=1789392489","url":"https:\/\/reviverestorevintage.co.uk\/products\/original-1950s-french-canadienne-barnstormer-mackinaw-jacket-xl","provider":"Revive \u0026 Restore Vintage","version":"1.0","type":"link"}