70s, Wide Lapel, Anatomical, Safari Silhouette

Wide lapels reinforced with block-pressed interfacing and a leather-wrapped buckle signal mid-century tailoring precision at an atelier or high-tier level.

The jacket in question—a women’s leather belted safari-style piece from the early-to-mid 1970s—embodies a confluence of regional European craftsmanship, mid-century tailoring logic, and tactile design sophistication. The garment lacks overt branding, suggesting it emerged from a boutique-scale or department store production system typical of the period in countries like Finland, Germany, or France. In such contexts, especially during the postwar decades, emphasis was placed less on logo-centric marketing and more on construction integrity, material durability, and wearable elegance—values that shaped a generation of utilitarian yet feminine leather outerwear. Constructed from top-grain or full-grain chrome-tanned leather, likely cowhide or sheepskin, the jacket’s surface displays hallmark characteristics of a semi-aniline finish: a natural pebble grain, soft drape, slight sheen modulation, and visible follicle patterns. The leather’s moderate thickness—estimated between 0.9 and 1.3 mm—indicates a mid-weight hide that offers thermal utility without overwhelming rigidity, rendering the piece ideal for transitional climates ranging between 12–18°C. This soft, breathable structure is complemented by a satin-weave polyester lining, typical of 1970s outerwear, bagged at the hem and cuffs and hand-closed at an invisible seam—ensuring low-friction wear, extended garment longevity, and concealed internal glue lines. The jacket’s silhouette—a belted safari cut with wide lapels and princess seam shaping—recalls the tailoring tropes reintroduced in women’s fashion during the 1960s and 1970s by designers like Yves Saint Laurent. The notched lapel collar is reinforced with interfacing (likely haircloth or canvas), carefully shaped via block pressing rather than iron flattening, resulting in a soft lapel roll that preserves the garment’s three-dimensional structure. The self-fabric belt, constructed from edge-skived leather folded over a stabilizer and topstitched along both sides, is anchored by a rectangular leather-wrapped buckle—requiring meticulous hand-finishing and tension calibration. This detail speaks to a level of craftsmanship consistent with either small-run atelier work or disciplined industrial production operating at a high artisanal threshold. Patternwise, the garment showcases complex drafting and thoughtful contouring through its princess-seamed front panels and three-piece back construction—center back panel flanked by curving seams that control shaping without darts. The two-piece sleeve block features an outer curvature at the elbow, optimizing ergonomic movement and natural drape—a consideration particularly vital in non-stretch leathers. Vertical paneling across both the front and back allows for anatomical sculpting while maintaining structural integrity, reinforcing the piece’s tailored identity without reliance on synthetic stretch or excess padding. Assembly techniques reflect leather-specific constraints and skillful mitigation. Seams are butt-joined, turned inward, and topstitched with bonded nylon thread using a leather machine—likely equipped with Teflon or roller feet to prevent hide bruising. Stitch spacing remains consistent across seam junctions, lapels, and the armhole, underscoring tension control and seam integrity. Unlike woven garments, leather cannot be unpicked without permanent damage, and the absence of overshoot or puckering—particularly at complex intersections such as princess seams meeting the armscye—marks a high degree of operator precision. Seams are likely pre-glued or taped prior to stitching, and topstitching serves both as structural consolidation and aesthetic edge control. Additional construction details reinforce the jacket’s mid-century tailoring pedigree. The sleeve cap contains minimal but deliberate shaping, probably via a lightweight sleeve head or roll rather than padded lifts, while edge finishing is uniformly clean—lapels, hem, cuffs, and placket edges are all turned and topstitched rather than left raw. Buttonholes—presumably machine-punched keyholes—would have required roller-foot precision, while the four-hole leather-covered buttons further amplify the garment’s commitment to tactile uniformity and surface continuity. From a technical perspective, the jacket maintains structural sophistication without over-engineering. Waist shaping is achieved through integrated seam manipulation and belt tension, with no reliance on bulky darts or elastic mechanisms. The set-in sleeves are topstitched at the armhole to stabilize roll and preserve shape during wear. Lining attachment is executed through bagging techniques, likely hand-closed through the hem or underarm lining, minimizing friction zones and maintaining the garment’s soft drape across the shoulderline and waist. Conceptually, the piece encapsulates the psychological and sartorial tension of 1970s women’s outerwear—reconciling the military precision of safari and utility garments with the sensual softness of premium leather. The belt signifies both constraint and empowerment; the silhouette frames the body with intentional curvature while resisting overt ornamentation. The subdued caramel hue and matte-to-gloss tonal shifts further root the design within bourgeois fashion codes of the era—evocative of cinematic minimalism and post-Gainsbourg Parisian restraint. Worn by icons like Catherine Deneuve or Jane Birkin, such garments occupied a liminal space between elegance and rebellion, between status and subversion. Historical context confirms the 1970s origin. The numeric sizing system, interior label placement, and lining materials align with European outerwear production norms from the period before standardized global branding. The use of full panel construction, anatomical shaping without stretch fabrics, and the emphasis on leather-covered hardware are consistent with regional output from countries like Germany, Austria, Finland, or France—especially those producing department store-level leatherwear that balanced cost with enduring craftsmanship. The jacket’s leather quality and construction logic invite comparison to materials produced by heritage tanneries such as Badalassi Carlo (Italy), known for vegetable-tanned hides with tonal modulation and softness; Tärnsjö Garveri (Sweden), a staple for Scandinavian military-grade cowhides; and Horween (USA), whose semi-aniline finishes and pull-up effects mirror this piece’s patina potential. Likewise, the paneling and shaping reflect methodologies common to Swedish military leathers, British utility sheepskins, and mid-century French café racer tailoring. In today’s fashion landscape, the garment remains highly relevant. Its structural clarity, clean design, and material tactility align with contemporary design narratives centered on quiet luxury, archival reissue, and post-trend sustainability. Designers like Phoebe Philo (Celine), Daniel Lee (Bottega Veneta), and brands like Khaite and Nanushka have revisited the safari-leather silhouette repeatedly, reaffirming its timeless capacity to express restraint, strength, and intimacy through form. This jacket, whether preserved or refurbished, would thrive within editorial styling, high-end vintage resale, and capsule wardrobe collections—serving as a case study in how tailoring, material intelligence, and era-defining aesthetic codes can be woven into a garment that endures across generations. Ultimately, this piece represents a masterclass in leather construction from a time when craftsmanship was not performative but embedded—when each stitch and seam was dictated by both the material’s demands and the body’s form. It is not merely a product of its time, but a vestige of a design logic that remains profoundly instructive today.

Measurements (cm):
Chest: 48
Length: 68
Shoulder: 41
Sleeve: 61



Size Conversion (approximate)
US Women’s Size: M
EU Women’s Size: 38

SKU: 006081