‘Until now it’s been easy for historians and journalists to overlook The London Leatherman’s significant role in fashion history when in the 70s there were opportunists, designers and entrepreneurs who saw what Ken (The London Leatherman) was doing and ran with it themselves once he’d paved the way and social prejudices had shifted. They stepped into the limelight and positioned themselves in the history books as the trailblazers, the provocateurs and even take credit for original The London Leatherman designs.’- quote from the forthcoming book, The London Leatherman- An Historical Account & Observation
Today Ken’s designs are still being mis-credited as being designed by the shops he sold to in the 70s and who sewed their own labels into his products. A perfect example of this is the LV1 Western Waistcoat with Inset Pockets that’s up for auction December 9th at the prestigious Kerry Taylor Auctions in London as part of their Passion For Fashion sale.
The LV1 Western Waistcoat with Inset Pockets, designed by Ken and produced in the The London Leatherman shop at 113 Queenstown Road from 1971 through to the 90s.
The LV1 as it appeared in the The London Leatherman mail order catalogues from 1971 through to the 90s.
Model wearing full The London Leatherman designed and made outfit which was available to purchase from the 430 Kings Road shop owned by Vivienne Westwood & Malcolm McLaren. Photo by Aaron Ghetti & Ed Cooper, 1976.
The London Leatherman mail order catalogue from the early 70s hand drawn by Ken and featuring the LV1.