Highwayman
• The original and legendary "Highwayman". Often copied but never equalled.
• Classic 1950s style
• Relaxed fit
• Zip closure
• Zipped horizontal chest pocket
• Deep moleskin lined hand-warmer pockets
• "V" shaped back yoke
• Side adjusting straps
• Storm cuffs as standard
• Pictured left in Black Chromexcel Front Quarter Horsehide
Our flagship jacket which started it all and a name that’s become synonymous with our brand, the Aero “Highwayman” has been our best-selling style every year since its design in 1983.
Originally conceived as an ‘Americanised’ homage to the British 1950s "Rocker's” jacket, the Highwayman’s iconic design is an understated classic: a two piece and three pocket front, a three piece ‘v-yoked’ back with side-adjusting straps and a 1950s ‘relaxed’ fit.
The Highwayman is the epitome of cool, with its sleek, streamlined design and bold, statement-making style turning heads wherever it goes and giving its wearer the look and swagger that so many other leather jackets try (and fail) to emulate.
When it launched, the Highwayman’s effortlessly cool style was a huge hit many UK indie bands of the 1980s, which in turn led to an entire generation of UK students clambering to get their hands on one! This was the start of the Highwayman revolution in the UK, which quickly spread overseas to opposite ends of the world in the United States and Japan.
Its massive success meant the Aero Highwayman spawned several imitations and inspired many more from other companies. But an opinion shared by many (including us) is that any leather jacket worth its salt simply isn’t complete without the jacket started it all – the real deal, the Aero Highwayman.
The Highwayman has also birthed two other Aero styles: the slimmer fitting ‘Premier Highwayman’ and a faithful recreation of the original 1950s Rivetts jacket that inspired our Highwayman: the ‘59’er Highwayman’.
Design Etymology
In 1983, two years after the embryonic "Aero Leather Clothing" had been born under the wing of The Thrift Shop in London, it was decided that the time had come to introduce a new jacket. High demand for our reproduction A-2s suggested there was a market for recreations of vintage jackets. Rather than copy any original design, we decided to take the best-selling vintage UK Bike Jacket, "The Highwayman" made by Rivetts of Leytonstone during the 1950s and redesign and remodel it as it might have been had it been an American made jacket of the same era. After around half a dozen prototypes each one improving on the previous version, we arrived at the exact design that has now remained unchanged for almost 40 years.
This jacket is a 1950s inspired design which offers a fit with quite a bit of room around the body which was typical of the more relaxed fitting styles of this era.
The perceived ‘correct’ fit of the 1950s was generally more ‘oversized’ than modern sizing, so we typically recommend either selecting your usual size for this style to achieve the intended ‘1950s’ relaxed fit, although many choose to size down for a more modern fitted look.
Additionally, this jacket’s side adjusters are close to the hem and can be cinched in or out to achieve a more relaxed/fitted look around the hips.
For further general sizing information, please see our sizing FAQ section. If you can’t find the answer you’re looking for there, please get in touch.
Don’t worry, all sizing information displayed here is only a guide. Every order placed is checked over by a member of our production team who will confirm your size selection against your measurements or recommend any necessary changes that need to be made. If you have any specific queries, you can note these in the special instructions box on the ‘measurements’ page when placing your order.
