At some point in the mid-twentieth century, the leather jacket ceased to be a mere item of clothing and became a bona fide cultural icon. When we think of leather jackets now, we think of daring pilots, rebellious bikers, and an effortless cool that retains its potency all these decades later.

The leather jacket owes its place in popular culture to a cavalcade of leather-clad characters from classic movies and TV shows, as well as some real-life celebrities who made the jacket a core part of their look. Let's take a look at some of those big names and the iconic leather jackets they wore...

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