Howdy all! This is an awesome site--I dig it a lot. I'm hoping y'all can help me with a question: I recently came into a lambskin jacket, and, as best I can tell, it might be from like the early forties? I tried to read the relevant guides, but I'm sure I missed some stuff, so apologies in advance! Its super soft, and in tremendous condition. The only tags I can find are "Saks Fifth Avenue" and "B. O. A.(tm) Exquisite Leather Importers", and the only reference point I have is a post on logopedia putting the block type logo as circa 1940-1946. The cut does seem very military in silhouette, and it lacks inside pockets, which might be consistent with wartime limitations (?), but it seems in REALLY good shape to be 75 years old. It's double-vented, which leads me to suspect European provenance, and the windmill and the A in BOA make me think Amsterdam or Antwerp, but I haven't been able to find anything searching that direction. I've also heard it said that the collar loop was more common on euro garnets, but not sure how true that is. Any thoughts or suggestions? Comments? Is this a legit WW2-era near-pristine jacket?
We don't have this label in our resource. The actual Saks label looks quite modern. Are there very large shoulder pads?
There is some padding in the shoulders, but I wouldn't call it very large by any stretch--far less than an '80s blazer, at least. Yes, I was hoping to find the label here, but as you said, it's not in the resource. The only place I've been able to find the label is https://logos.fandom.com/wiki/Saks_Fifth_Avenue#1940-1946 , but no telling how reliable that is. However, the same font/lettering can be seen in this ad, supposedly from 1949: https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/hbcheritage/hbcimages/1949-boater-ad-ca-1950s--small.jpg . There is no care or components label, nor any sign of where one used to be, nor is there any RN # in evidence. I'm kind of at a loss.
I checked Etsy using 'Saks suede coat', filtered by Vintage and Clothing and some with similar tags appeared, dating from 70s-80s. The one below was the most similar to your tag- The listed coat isn't super similar to your coat, but I hope the tag helps with dating! Listing below for reference- https://www.etsy.com/listing/760001...oat-jacket-mens?ref=shop_home_active_10&frs=1
The styling of this coat is very much 1960s, but the label looks as if it could be later. It is a beautiful coat. I have seen that same label (as yours) on early 1970s SAKS jackets, but your collar is rather narrow for that time period. So I wonder if this could be 1960s. I do recall a revival of this style in the 1980s.
Thanks for the input, everyone! Y'all are great. It definitely looks like a newer vintage than the '40s, but the lack of a care label and my inability to find B.O.A. threw me off. I do appreciate it.
I'm hedging my bets a little but do think it's an 80s revival, it looks lovely. But--6th - 7th photo, look at them pockets, so late 60s, early 70s, very smart, crisp dare I say a little Safari in cut. And those buttons, they have been around for eons but look at that shine if 60s,70s vintage. I will stick to 80s but wouldn't be surprised to find it earlier.
