Care and protection of vintage leather jackets

Hip, hip hooray –springtide has come! Away with the thick winter coats and off to the cellar with them! Now is the time to get out the sexy leather jackets and to greet the first rays of the spring sun. What could be cooler than a high quality vintage leather jacket combined with a hip pair of pilot’s spectacles in shimmering bright colours?

The trend in the spring and summer of 2015 keeps one warm on cool nights and nestles against one like a second skin. Everyone makes a lasting impression in the proper leather jacket. Cool and nonetheless timeless – once one has found one’s dream model, one will glean pleasure from it for one’s whole life!

Whether in biker-look, studded or an elegant model as an alternative to the blazer in the office – the good old leather jacket is as versatile as no other item of clothing. And it joins in with just about any type of fun. These hot items only reveal their true character over the course of time, however. After having been worn a few times they ingratiate themselves to an ever-increasing degree and become softer.

Leather jackets in Shabby Chic are anything but shabby

Retro-items from the second-hand shop or mummy’s wardrobe are particularly coveted unique specimens that admirers know how to appreciate and take care of. For ugly stains or scratches, dull dry colours and cheap fake materials ensure that the cool leather jacket is turned into an optical nightmare.

As paradox as it might sound: the Shabby Style as celebrated by fashion icons such as Kate Moss requires, alongside courage and style, a particularly high degree of care.

Only he who, at the heart of his being, is an orderly type is able to afford the disorderly look. This is because a dirty leather jacket soon appears uncool – along with its wearer, whether masculine or feminine. A respectable used leather jacket is characterised by the fact that its surface is not dried out, scratched or stained.

Cleaning vintage leather jackets properly

After purchasing a vintage leather jacket the first thing it should be subjected to is dry-cleaning. What can be washed and brushed off will not be unnecessarily rubbed in during subsequent wet cleaning.

Brushes, cleaning stones or towels assist you in this. Should wet leather care be required, apply a cleansing foam with a cloth or sponge. Most cleansing foams are suitable for all types of materials. The milder they are the better. After cleaning you should, under all circumstances, allow your leather jacket to dry out properly!

If, after cleaning, dry patches are recognisable or should the leather make a dull impression, a nurturing cream that supplies the material with moisture can help. Leather, in the course of time and through being worn, loses nutrients which can be replenished in such a simple manner. The result is that the colour gains in depth once more and the leather becomes more supple.

Proper waterproofing also affords protection against water stains caused by rain or accidents involving drinks at parties. This causes wetness to be repelled and any dirt will remain on the surface and not penetrate deep into the pores.

More tips on the topics of the cleaning of and caring for your favourite articles can be found in our monthly newsletter.

by Kristina Machalke