Buzz Rickson William Gibson G-1 Flying Jacket, Black Buffalo Hide
Buzz Rickson's brand is renowned for producing truly standout copies of the famous G-1 Flying Jacket and they really went over the top on this gem! This limited-edition style combines the original features of the U. S. Navy G-1 Intermediate Flying Jacket (spec. 7823 from 1950) with styling from Buzz Rickson’s William Gibson Collection. The original standards of quality and material types, except the leather type, have been strictly adhered to by Buzz Rickson’s, but with a distinct slant toward supreme luxury and durability, of course, and you have William Gibson’s personal approval of each item in the collection.
The leather type is really at the heart of making this jacket so supremely magnificent. G-1 jackets of the 1950's were originally produced in one of the strongest, most desirable leather types - goatskin - which was keenly sought after and which cost more than hides such as horse or steer. The designers at Buzz Rickson's wanted to match the heavy grain and durability found in vintage goatskin when planning this jacket, but without actually employing goatskin. The answer was shrunken buffalo hide!
Shrunken buffalo hide is sometimes referred to as goatskin on steroids. The hide is even tougher than goatskin, yet it remains pliable, and the grain is larger and even more coarse than what is found on goatskin. Shrunken buffalo hide is also considerably more costly than goatskin, largely because one is paying for the footage of hide that starts out before it is shrunken, then adding on the costs to perform the shrinking process, where one then has less hide to work with at a cost per square foot that then exceeds the original hide's cost per square foot. Shrinking the hide increases the grain per square inch and the strength of the hide, hence why the process is employed.
This sumptuous buffalo leather is sourced from the best leather country in the world – Italy- where a preeminent tannery selects only the best-of-the-best hides, all 3.5 ounce in weight, and fully vegetable tanned for a firm-yet-supple hand, then aniline dyed jet black for a luxurious, character-rich finish. Assembly follows original specs. using all-cotton thread, and vintage looms are used to create the heavy, rayon acetate lining. The sum of all of this is an heirloom jacket that can be handed down to the next generation - there's nothing disposable about a Buzz Rickson's leather jacket!
This Buzz Rickson William Gibson G-1 is a masterpiece of wearable jacket art crafted in rugged materials that are as beautiful as they are durable. Please note the following materials and features:
- Copy of original maker’s label design produced on a vintage shuttle loom
- Custom manufacturing of the correct weight and weave rayon acetate lining dyed the original shade of a purple-like brown
- Custom manufacturing of the correct two-ply, worsted-wool cuffs with the narrow weave graduating into the wider weave at top, dyed jet black, and made in a heavier weight to better hold up in conjunction with the heavier leather
- Custom manufacturing of the correct single-ply, bi-directional, worsted-wool waistband, dyed jet black, and made in a heavier weight to better hold up in conjunction with the heavier leather
- Two button-down exterior pockets lined with all-cotton twill precisely matching 1950 USN specs.
- One snap-down interior pocket lined with heavy-weight, all-cotton duck twill precisely matching 1950 USN specs.
- Exact copy of the vintage-style, blackened-metal Conmar Conmatic zipper on jacket front, with zip tape made of 100% cotton HBT fabric, not incorrect poly-cotton
- Leather pull tab on zipper for easy functioning with gloves
- Heavy wind flap protector located behind zipper closure
- Bi-swing action back and gusseted armpits (with metal air ventilators) for greater range of motion without restriction
- Gorgeous, plush, genuine mouton-fur collar dyed jet black, with backing leather correctly reinforced with trapunto stitching on the to maintain collar shape and help keep collar up when the need arises
- Sumptuous, vegetable-tanned, 3.5-ounce, shrunken buffalo hide aniline-dyed jet black and imported from Italy
- Assembly using vintage sewing machines
Even sizes 36-44 Regular. Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.
Buzz Rickson goods are imported from Japan
Buzz Rickson William Gibson G-1 Flying Jacket, Black Buffalo Hide
SIZING TIPS
About this Style: This jacket style is one of the easier-wearing designs: the gusseted armpits and bi-swing double-pleated back allow for a great range of movement. Most body types can be accommodated in this style without major issues, though it just may take some work to establish the correct size for a select number of customers.
Tip 1: Follow the instructions entitled “How to Use Product Measures to Obtain a Good Fit” listed under the PRODUCT MEASUREMENTS tab for this product. After finding no substantive conflicts with your body measures obtained from the tab entitled BODY MEASURING, order this garment with no less than 3”of room in excess of your chest measure if you prefer a trim fit in the chest and shoulders, thus if you have a 40” chest circumference measure and are lean, order size 38. If you are large in build, hefty and/or prefer a roomier or longer fit, then order the next available size after reviewing all relative measures that pertain to that size. Those whose chest measure falls on an odd number, such as 41” or 43”, will have to determine if they want less room or more room when selecting a jacket size.
Tip 2: Please note that your chest circumference measure is not necessarily the labeled size you wear in another jacket you may own from a different maker, so please take the time to obtain your true chest circumference measure so as to compare to our chart of jacket measures. This will enable us to perform a better job getting you the right size and sparing you the hassle and cost of exchanges.
Please ask us for fitting advice if in doubt.
Tip 3: Individuals who prefer looser fits and/or those with a waist measure that is nearly equal to or greater than their chest circumference measure may jump up one size in this jacket for comfort and desired fit (when we refer to waist measure we do not mean your trouser size; we mean the actual circumference measure of your waistline at its widest point). If you are unsure of the size to order we will assist you; please contact us with the following information: Height, waist circumference measure, chest circumference measure, body weight, and type of clothing to be worn beneath the jacket most of the time, as well as the type of fit you prefer: Trim, roomy or oversized.
Buzz Rickson William Gibson G-1 Flying Jacket, Black Buffalo Hide
PRODUCT MEASUREMENTS
The following table provides actual product measures. These measures are provided as an aid because, in conjunction with the information found under the SIZING TIPS tab for each product, they can sometimes be very useful when comparing the measurements from this garment to the measures of your body; however, acting as an armchair tailor should be done with caution, as well as with knowledge of other important areas of fit that are not displayed here. Armchair tailors frequently fail to take into account other significant elements that impact fit; following the information found under the SIZING TIPS tab for each garment on this web site is strongly suggested, which can be very useful in supplanting or supplementing the listed measures below.
Our measures were derived from averaging measurements taken from many garments of the same size from each specific size in the range of any given product, thus the measures provided are representative for each size but they may not be exactly what you will receive. Some fluctuation in size is normal and to be expected, especially in these garments that have been manufactured on the bench by hand. Size fluctuations are rarely encountered in the width measures and more typically encountered in length measures, and particularly with respect to leather jackets and jackets with knit cuffs and waistbands. Fluctuations in width measures are very rare, and when they are encountered they are typically insignificant: 1/8” – ¼”. Normal fluctuations in sleeve and/or body length + /- a ½” is more common but still rare, and such fluctuations in that increment range are within spec. for jackets of the same size and style.
| Size | 36 | 38 | 40 | 42 | 44 |
| Chest width | 20.5" | 21.5" | 22.5" | 23.25" | 24.25" |
| Shoulder width | 17" | 18" | 19" | 19.75" | 20" |
| Arm length | 24" | 26" | 27" | 27" | 27" |
| Back length | 24" | 25" | 25.75" | 26" | 26" |
How to Use the Product Measures to Obtain a Good Fit:
1) Using the measurements listed for this product and information found under the tab entitled MEASURING GARMENTS to understand our measuring technique, please double the chest measure to obtain the total external chest circumference of this garment. For example: If the chest measure listed for size 40 is 23.75”, doubling this measure yields a 47.5” external chest circumference.
2) Measure your chest circumference as per the tab on this web site specifically addressing BODY MEASURING, then compare your chest measure to the chest measure of this product.
3) Many jackets are cut in such a way that the wearer requires no less than 4” of room in the jacket for a sleek fit that is also comfortable, while other jacket styles require the wearer to have more than 8” of room. If your chest circumference is 40”, a product with a 22” chest width has a 44” external chest circumference and would provide 4” of external room in this scenario (chest measures 40”, external chest measure of jacket is 44”, thus 4” of external room would be realized).
4) Again, using the measurements listed for this product and information under the MEASURING GARMENTS tab to understand our measuring technique, add half of the shoulder width to the arm length. For example: If the shoulder width is 19” and the arm length is 26.5”, adding 9.5” (half the shoulder width) to 26.5” (the arm length) will yield an overall sleeve length of 36” in this product.
5) Measure your overall sleeve length following the instructions on this web site under the tab specifically addressing BODY MEASURING, then compare your overall sleeve length to this product.
6) If desired, repeat the measuring comparisons for back length.
7) Compare your body measures to the listed garment measures and follow the advice found under the SIZING TIPS tab to obtain a good fit.
IMPORTANT: Because you need room in a garment for comfort, garments with a 44” chest circumference are NOT a size 44, nor are they intended for anyone with a 44” chest circumference. Tee shirts and thermal shirts tend to have the most body-hugging fits of our product offerings because these were originally intended to be undergarments, thus these can be ordered to stretch to fit if that is how you wish to wear such garments. Other shirts, sweatshirts, sweaters, jackets, etc. will all have some amount of room incorporated in their designs, thus these will all measure larger than your actual chest measure by varying degrees.
Sometimes-Problematic Way to Determine a Good Fit:
Due to differences in how even near-identical garments are cut by different manufacturers, it is not necessarily a good idea to compare the listed measures of this product to the measures of an existing, similar product in your wardrobe to determine the correct size to order in this product. Though such comparisons can indeed work some of the time, and maybe even most of the time, vast experience with and knowledge of the products we market has proven such practices will sometimes fail. This inaccurate measuring methodology doesn't factor in other key variables of fit relative to you and the garment that includes: Armhole opening, shoulder slope, high-point shoulder, high chest, width of sleeves at all points including the all-important elbow, waist measure, and the thickness, plumpness, and rigidity of the material the garment is made from, naming just some variables influencing fit that do not appear on any list of measurements for a garment or that a customer is likely to account for.
It is best to compare your actual body measures to the listed measures of this product AND follow our advice listed under the SIZING TIPS tab specific to this product to obtain a good fit in this style.
A Good Fit:
This is highly subjective - what one person may think is too big, another may think fits perfectly. Some garments are cut quite generously and others are cut quite trimly. If comparing measurements of one of our products to another you may own, some individuals will surely find that none or maybe only one area of measure is commonly shared or remotely close to being the same. Ultimately, chest measure is the most important area to properly fit, then all other areas of measure will have to fall into place. And some individuals who are extremely tall may find that body and/or sleeve length are more important to accommodate than even chest measure.
It is best to compare your actual body measures to the listed measures of this product AND follow our advice listed under the SIZING TIPS tab specific to this product to obtain a good fit in this style.
We strive to create a crisp fit between our products and the customer, and not a loose, sloppy look. If you prefer your clothing to fit more loosely, then we will do our best to work with you to that end, though, by the very nature of our product designs and fits it may not be possible to duplicate the slack looks found in many mainstream clothing brands even if you go up one or two sizes in our products.
