{"product_id":"vintage-1960s-east-german-leather-motorcycle-jacket-ewa-zips","title":"Vintage 1960s East German Leather Motorcycle Jacket, EWA Zippers","description":"\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eFounded in Elsterwerda in 1958, PGH Elstermode belonged to a particular world of East German leather manufacture in which specialist clothing was still made for practical use. The company’s surviving history records leather clothing among its early production and illustrates motorcycle clothing from around 1960. This jacket appears to come from that early period, and unlike the darker German riding jackets more commonly encountered, there is very little conventional about its appearance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe leather is a wonderful deep bottle green, now varying considerably in tone as the surface has aged. Bright red-orange piping follows the main front fastening, both chest pockets and the long cuff openings, sharply outlining the substantial metal EWA zippers. The effect is unusually graphic, but the construction around it is thoroughly purposeful. Curved rows of reinforcement stitching cross the shoulders, further shaped reinforcement appears at the elbows, and the sleeves are cut with enough articulation to make sense as riding clothing rather than simply decoration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eTurn the jacket around and the construction becomes even more distinctive. A broad shaped rear yoke sweeps down into a point across the upper back, below which the body is formed from large uninterrupted leather panels. The waist is gathered internally across the rear, drawing the jacket closer to the body and giving it the compact, slightly flared silhouette visible from the front. There is no belt and little unnecessary hardware. Almost everything has been concentrated around movement, reinforcement and closure.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe EWA hardware is an important surviving detail. A large metal zipper runs through the centre front, accompanied by two long zipped chest pockets and substantial cuff zippers that allow the sleeves to open before closing closely around the wrists. Rather than using the hardware alone to assign an earlier date, the Elstermode label provides the more useful context. PGH Elstermode was established in 1958 and later became VEB Elstermode in 1972, placing this style of early labelled production firmly within the post-war East German clothing industry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eInside, the contrast continues with a brown cloth lining, lightly padded sleeve sections and a leather-trimmed internal breast pocket. The original woven ELSTERMODE label remains stitched above it. Decades of wear have softened the green leather and produced areas of lighter colour across the shoulders, sleeves and body, yet its unusual colour combination remains remarkably vivid. It is a striking survivor from the early years of Elstermode, combining the practical construction of a motorcycle jacket with a design language quite unlike the black and brown German riding leathers of the same period.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cspan role=\"text\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition \u0026amp; Restoration\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eVery good vintage condition for an early Elstermode leather motorcycle jacket. The green leather remains strong, supple and structurally sound, with natural creasing, rubbing, surface marks and considerable tonal variation consistent with age and genuine wear. The lighter areas across the shoulders, sleeves and body are part of the jacket's established surface and character.\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe brown cloth lining shows general age-related wear, particularly around the sleeve lining and armhole areas, but remains serviceable. The original woven Elstermode label remains present.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe jacket has been specialist leather cleaned and conditioned in-house. As 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. Our restoration has been deliberately restrained, preserving the original green leather, contrasting red-orange piping, period hardware and established patina.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cspan role=\"text\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKey Features\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVintage East German Elstermode motorcycle jacket\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEarly PGH Elstermode production, dating approximately to the 1960s\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeep bottle-green leather\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOriginal woven ELSTERMODE label\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePeriod EWA zipper hardware\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeavy-duty centre front zipper\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTwin zipped chest pockets\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eContrasting red-orange zipper piping\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLong zipped cuff openings\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReinforced multi-row stitched shoulders\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShaped reinforced elbow panels\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBroad pointed rear shoulder yoke\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGathered elasticated rear waist\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShaped riding silhouette\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrown cloth body lining\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLined sleeves\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLeather-trimmed internal breast pocket\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExtensive genuine vintage patina\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cspan role=\"text\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGarment Measurements, Laid Flat\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eSend me the five measurements for this one:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChest, armpit to armpit: 21.5\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShoulders, seam to seam: 19\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShoulder seam to cuff\" 24\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUnderarm seam to cuff: 16.5\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBack length, base of collar to hem: 28\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBest suited to:\u003c\/strong\u003e Approximately a 38\" chest \/ size small.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eFor the best indication of sizing, 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":54821340545347,"sku":"EB5129","price":495.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0786\/2232\/7107\/files\/IMG_5878.jpg?v=1789718773","url":"https:\/\/reviverestorevintage.co.uk\/products\/vintage-1960s-east-german-leather-motorcycle-jacket-ewa-zips","provider":"Revive \u0026 Restore Vintage","version":"1.0","type":"link"}