Lewis Leathers was founded in 1892 as part of the company D.Lewis Ltd., which had its headquarters at 124 Great Portland Street, in the Marylebone section of London's West End.
D.Lewis started making leather garments for driving and flying use around 1910, no doubt influenced by the fact that Great Portland Street was then known as "Motor Row," as it was London's primary location for purchasing automobiles and related parts and accessories. Benz Motor, Jaguar, Austin, Morgan Motor, and Indian Motorcycle all had showrooms on Great Portland Street in the early 20th century.
In 1930, the company introduced the brand name Aviakit -- short for "aviation kit" -- as the trademark for its aviation clothing. D.Lewis and Aviakit made leather apparel and accessories for pilots all over the world, and eventually outfitted the Royal Air Force during World War II.
After the war, D.Lewis transitioned into producing leather garments for motorcyclists, as motorcycling became a booming new form of transportation in the UK and abroad. The brand at this time was known as an expensive, high end purveyor.
In 1960, D.Lewis formally registered the name Lewis Leathers, by which the entire company and all of its sub-brands are now most commonly known. The Lewis Leathers name was used to introduce a new range of leather jackets aimed at younger customers, including the Bronx jacket, which was based on a 1930s flying jacket with various modifications, and quickly became a breakout success.
Lewis Leathers jackets have a storied history in popular culture, having been worn by countless British punk and rock musicians and fashion icons, some of which include The Damned, The Sex Pistols, The Clash, Motörhead, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Ewan McGregor, and Kate Moss; as well as American musicians like Lou Reed, Joan Jett, Johnny Thunders, The Ramones, and others.
