Avirex and Pelle Pelle: The Jackets That Took Over Hip-Hop Culture
Song of the week: Don Toliver - Attitude
This song was going crazy on TikTok, and now it’s officially out. Definitely an early contender for song of the Summer, just give it a month.
That said, let’s get into today’s piece.
Over time, different regions have had specific fashion trends that they’ve become associated with.
The West Coast had the Nike Cortez.
The DMV had New Balance 990s.
The North had leather jackets.
From the late 80s to the early 2000s, two leather jackets brands could be seen on the backs of Northerners everywhere, and they were:
Avirex & Pelle Pelle.
From rappers to athletes, everyone would don them, and by the end of the 90s, each brand experienced massive success. And when the leather jacket craze subsided, these brands became dormant.
However, with the rise in 90s nostalgia spilling into early 2000s fashion, many of this generation's Hip-hop stars are donning Avirex and Pelle Pelle jackets again to differentiate their look.
With so many cultural figures wearing leathers again, it only felt right that this edition of SNOBHOP covers the two brands at the heart of it all.
Let’s get into it.
PELLE PELLE
In 1978, Michigan based clothing designer Marc Buchanan had a breakthrough idea.
While working on designs in the basement of his home, Marc realized that there wasn’t a high-end leather jacket in the market that was targeted toward “urban” culture. Armed with insight, he came up with a brand targeted towards that market.1
As for the name Pelle Pelle, it came from Italy — one the most fashion-forward countries in the world. The word was “Pelle” is was Italian for leather. So the name literally translates to “Leather Leather.”
Its popularity started locally at trade shows, before eventually becoming a mainstay at boutique stores in Detroit and eventually the Northeast.
However, according to Blac Media, one of Pelle Pelle's major breakthrough moments came in the form of a commissioned suit for Detroit native Tommy “The Hitman” Hearns — a legendary boxer who even appeared in a vintage Pelle Pelle ad (seen below).
Between cosigns from stars like Tommy Hearns and its regional popularity, Pelle Pelle was getting love from everyone in 90s.
Pelle Pelle’s were widely respected for their bold designs and premium quality. Marc wasn’t just trying to introduce a new jacket. He was an artist, and only wanted the highest grades of leather.
In the rare interviews he’s conducted, Marc mentions that he treated each jacket as a canvas and between the designs, the rhinestone jewelry, and durability they were long lasting pieces.
AVIREX
Jeff Clyman was a lawyer from New York who had an affinity for the leather jackets that were worn in the WWII days.
In 1975, he turned that affinity into a full-blown brand by creating Avirex.
Like Pelle Pelle, the Avirex name was based on meaning and inspired by things in Clyman’s life. It is derived from the Latin words avis (bird) and rex (king), symbolizing its origins in aviation apparel.
Avirex came to the market roughly 3 years before Pelle did, and like its counterpart, Clyman was focused on selling high quality leather jackets that were second to none.
This quality earned Avirex admiration from both the military and eventually Hip-hop culture. Once the fashion world caught wind of his apparel, Avirex became highly sought after in culture.
IN THE 90S…
Like most clothing brands that became a staple in NY, the harsh Winters became a determining factor. And as the workwear movement picked up steam, leather jackets were considered an expensive alternative.
That meant they were a status symbol.
Moreover, TV sitcoms also did their job in helping to fuel the popularity of both brands over time.
A. Pelle Pelle
90s fashion (and the ensuing nostalgia replicated by Gen Z) was shown on shows like Martin and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. In both shows, each star donned their own Pelle Pelle jackets in certain episodes.
The Picasso Plush style that Martin is rocking seems to be a favorite amongst NY rappers looking for the classic 90s look.
B. Avirex
Avirex jackets also had their own iconic moments in film/tv, especially with some of Hip-hop’s best 90s emcees rocking their jackets.
One of the most notable depictions of Avirex to date is a scene from Belly where you see Nas rocking a white Avirex jacket while talking to one of the young dudes he’s trying to steer away from the streets.
By the mid 2000s…
Trends in Hip-hop were changing, and although both brands were still going strong for the first few years, each started to fade from the marketplace.
A. Pelle Pelle
One can only speculate on the cause, but the general consensus seems to be that the Pelle brand only wanted to deal with boutique stores. Marc didn’t want to deal with the hassle of department stores and the issues that come with that.
It was still seen on the backs of artists like Kanye West and even Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, who commissioned Pelle Pelle for custom jackets to wear to their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction.
B. Avirex
In 2006, Jeff Clyman sold the name Avirex to Centric Brands, however he also owned another brand named Cockpit U.S. and eventually sold select styles of Avirex jackets under that imprint.
Motivations for why Jeff sold aren’t that clear, however given how fickle fashion can be, it might be safe to assume that with times changing it was time for the brand to head in a new direction.
BUT… THAT’S NOT THE END.
Although both brands have seen their share of challenges over the years, both are experiencing a resurgence in popularity in no small part because of Gen Z and their love for the early 2000s.
A. Pelle Pelle
According to Complex, Marc Buchanan still keeps a very low profile, and doesn’t really talk much about the brand, except through its marketing director John Greene.
Despite that, Pelle Pelle is going strong and is actively being licensed outside of the U.S.
Streetwear brands like Supreme have even created pieces inspired by Pelle Pelle and the brand the brand has caught the eye of some of the newer generation of Hip-hop stars.
Pelle Pelle recently posted on their instagram showing that they gifted a jacket to up & coming Hip-hop star Cash Cobain (from this week’s song of the week) & Slizzy entertainment.
B. Avirex
In 2021, Avirex wanted to tap into the culture that made them so popular in the 90s and they decided to re-release the famous white Avirex jacket that Nas sported in Belly.
The new jacket retailed for over $1,200, was part of a new collection of mens jackets that were slated to drop that year.2
Nas even donned the white Avirex jacket in the video for his single “Wave Gods” from his Hit-Boy produced LP “Magic” which dropped around the same time.
With the UK-based Focus brands having secured a license for Avirex, they relaunched the brand in the EU in 2022. Since launching, Avirex has worked with popular streetwear brands like Palace on capsule collections.
EPILOGUE
In recent years, it’s been suggested that Marc is retired, but the Pelle Pelle brand is still going strong, as is the Avirex brand.
With cosigns like Cash Cobains, Ferg, and more, I suspect we’ll see these brands pop up more in the Winter.
Gen Z is finding its way to all of the Hip-hop staples, and it’s really dope to see. With that said, let me save up some bread to cop one of these joints in December.
One.
have you seen Druski’s latest skit? 😆