Original 1950s–60s French Leather Work Jacket GVF Impercuir Graulhet

Made in Graulhet in south-west France in the 1950s or 60s, this black leather work jacket carries the GVF Impercuir label, with the words Vêtement de Qualité on a small green tag. It has the details of a proper French working jacket: an offset button front under a raised placket, buttoned cuff tabs, ventilation eyelets under the arms and a heavy wool plaid lining.

Graulhet was a town that lived on leather. Tanning had been its trade for centuries, and by the 19th century it was known worldwide as the capital of basane, the soft sheepskin used to line shoes, with tanneries and drying sheds running the length of the river Dadou. The jacket's label still carries the town's name.

The leather is the heart of this jacket. The black has worn back to tan wherever a body meets it, across the collar, shoulders, forearms, cuff tabs and pocket edges, and up close the surface is finely crazed, like old varnish. It is wear that only comes from a long working life, and underneath it the leather is still sound and supple.

Every detail has a job. The front buttons off-centre under a raised leather placket, because wind drives straight through a closure that runs down the middle, and the placket is triple-stitched where a working jacket takes its strain. A wide leather collar closes at the throat with a loop and button. There is a flap chest pocket and two slanted welted hand pockets. Buttoned tabs draw the cuffs in against the weather and out of the way of the hands, and three metal eyelets under each arm let heat out during hard work. There isn't a zip anywhere, so there is nothing to jam or break.

Inside, the body is lined in thick wool plaid in red, blue and tan, as heavy as a blanket and made for warmth. The sleeves are lined smooth so the jacket goes on easily over a knit, and the inside fronts are faced in leather with a welted inside pocket.

The jacket has also been looked after. At some point the bottom corners of the lining were patched by hand with houndstooth tweed, and a few buttons have been replaced over the years, matched closely enough that you have to look for them. These repairs belong to its working life and have been left as they are.

This is a French work jacket from a leather town, worn hard, kept going by someone who valued it, and still with plenty of wear left in it.

Condition & Restoration

Good vintage condition, with heavy, honest wear.

The leather is sound and supple, with a deep worn-through patina across the collar, shoulders, sleeves and edges. That is the character of the jacket, not damage. There is a small pale mark low on the front hem.

The plaid wool lining is full and warm, with some wear along the front edges, and was patched at the bottom corners with houndstooth tweed during its working life. A few buttons have been replaced over the years and blend in closely with the originals. The sleeve linings, eyelets and cuff tabs are all intact.

Professionally cleaned and dressed in-house using our own Workshop Blends, with the leather left soft and supple and its natural character intact.

All photographs show the actual jacket for sale and form an important part of the condition description.

Key Features

• 1950s–60s French leather work jacket by GVF Impercuir, Graulhet
• Original green "Vêtement de Qualité" label
• Black leather worn to tan at the edges and high points
• Offset button front under a raised, triple-stitched placket
• Wide leather collar with loop-and-button throat closure
• Flap chest pocket and two slanted welted hand pockets
• Buttoned cuff tabs
• Three ventilation eyelets under each arm
• Thick plaid wool body lining, smooth-lined sleeves
• Leather-faced inside fronts with welted inside pocket
• Period hand repairs to the lining, left intact
• Good vintage condition

Size & Fit

All measurements are taken with the garment laid flat.

• Chest, armpit to armpit: 24.5" / 62 cm
• Shoulders, seam to seam: 21" / 53.5 cm
• Sleeve, shoulder seam to cuff: 24" / 61 cm
• Underarm seam to cuff: 16.5" / 42 cm
• Back length, base of collar to hem: 29" / 73.5 cm

Best suited to: 44" chest / Size Large

Fit: A classic French work-jacket cut, generous and slightly boxy through the body with room for a heavy knit underneath. It sits at the hip, and the sleeves are a regular length. It suits a 44" chest.

For the best indication of sizing, please compare the measurements above with a similar jacket you already own. For any sizing questions, please get in touch.