By Nick Carvell 05 March 14
We first clocked Matchless’ upcoming tribute to Marlon Brando at Jacket Required back in February – an impressive achievement considering the vastly expanded scale of the menswear fair this year. Now we’re bringing you a first look at all the pieces in the collection, each inspired by the actor’s famously stylish on- and off-set wardrobes.
However this isn’t just a style icon the motorcycle label has picked out of thin air; when he was alive Brando was not only a keen biker, but also a Matchelss customer. In fact one of the most reblogged photos of Brando while was taken on a Matchless “Scrambler” G80 (his stuntman’s, although he owned one himself) during his downtime while filming The Wild One. And while you can’t sadly buy the bike anymore (Matchless stopped production in the mid-Sixties) the jacket from the photo has been recreated for this new line, cut from heavy 1.1mm thick leather treated with natural wax and featuring Johnny written on the left chest, just like in the film. You’ll also find the photo reproduced on a limited edition white T-shirt.
Completing the collection are two jackets featuring a red and black lumberjack-style checks, a pattern taken from the wool bomber jacket Brando wore for his Oscar-winning turn in On The Waterfront. No news yet on whether the line will return, but considering Brando’s almost endless array of winning on-screen wardrobes (we’ll gloss over Superman), we’ll certainly be keeping a look out.