Lewis Leathers
Established 1892Founded in 1893 as a gentlemen’s outfitter, D. Lewis Ltd is the oldest British motorcycle clothing company, mostly known for its leather jackets. In 1910, D. Lewis started to supply aviators, motorists and motorcyclists with protective clothing under the ‘Lewis Leathers’ brand name. Lewis acted as contractor to various Air Forces around the world including those of the Netherlands, India, Belgium, South Africa and Greece.
In 1930, the company introduced the brand ‘Aviakit’ for its aviation clothing and started to produce clothing for the Royal Air Force during World War II. In 1956, D. Lewis launched its most iconic jacket, the Bronx Jacket, which was an update of a 1930s flying jacket. Picked up by the post-war teenage fashion market, the Bronx became the British equivalent of the Schott Perfecto (which also features on Wikiconic).
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