Professor Andrew Groves, Professor of Fashion Design at the University of Westminster, was interviewed by the Financial Times on the enduring success of the MA-1 Flight jacket and the impact it has had on the fashion industry since its creation in the 1950s.
Lion Uniform Inc, now known as Alpha Industries, first designed and manufactured MA-1 jackets for use by the American military in the 1950s. Since then, the simple design has been continuously adapted by different designers and adopted by various groups in society.
Professor Groves, who is the Director of the Westminster Menswear Archive at the University of Westminster, was asked about the collection of Flight jackets the Archive holds and the place the jacket holds in fashion heritage. He said: “We have MA-1 jackets from Vivienne Westwood, Liam Hodges, Calvin Klein, Junior Gaultier, CP Company, Raeburn, Paul Smith, Burberry, Left Hand and even Tommy Nutter for Austin Reed. Apart from a pair of Levi’s 501s, I can’t think of a more iconic garment, with a design language that is so strong that all of these creatives can reinterpret [it] while still maintaining its instantly recognisable aesthetic.”
Read the full article on the Financial Times website.
Pictured left to right: B15-D Mod Flight Jacket from Rolen Sportswear Co (1950s), Cropped MA-1 Jacket from Junior Gaultier (Autumn/Winter 1988), Clint Eastwood Jacket from Vivienne Westwood (Autumn/Winter 1984).
