If you close your eyes and say the phrase “leather jacket,” you’ll probably call to mind something like the Schott Perfecto – cool, edgy, a true American icon. But if you’re the kind of guy that spends your free time reading about Neapolitan tailoring or dress shirt collar measurements, you might instead visualize the Valstarino – a softer, sartorial jacket that is more refined than it is rebellious. This article is a deep dive into the latter, and will discuss all the things that make this jacket great, the aspects where it falls short, and how to determine if it’s a good addition to your wardrobe.
Background
Valstar is an Italian manufacturer that is best known for the “Valstarino” – their refined, sporty take on the classic A-1 blouson (a type of flight jacket with a button front and stand-up, knitted collar). The A-1 was originally a military flight jacket worn by American fighter pilots, but in 1935 Valstar updated the design for civilian life. The design is rather iconic at this point, and there are many places where the style is “emulated” – from entry-level options to pieces much more expensive than the original.
In the vast world of leather jackets, the Valstarino is an oft-recommended choice – and for good reason. You can find mentions of this iconic outerwear on many menswear editorials, and Put This On even goes as far as to offer a blanket recommendation for anyone unsure of wear to start with leather. But at the same time, most of the information on this jacket online is either anecdotal accounts or from writers that are paid to write about it because they work directly with Valstar. So for the guys that are debating whether or not this investment piece is right for them – here’s my thorough review on this classic jacket after owning one for three years.
Fit and Sizing
The fit of the Valstarino is relatively slim. I generally wear between a 36 and 38 US jacket (roughly a size small), and this is a EU48 (equivalent to a US 38). It fits plenty slim and I definitely wouldn’t want to go down a size. Stay true-to-size for a moderately slim fit, and size up if you’re in-between. The jacket is also cut short – this is typical for the bomber style, but if you are used to wearing field jackets and the like there may be a bit of an adjustment. It will look better if your shirt is tucked in, as an untucked tee or shirt will stick out below the jacket.
Where to Purchase
The Valstarino is available from many retailers, and there are two that I recommend:
- Mr. Porter – They seem to have a solid array of colors every season, and some will usually make it to their famed end-of-season sales. I got mine from Mr Porter a couple of years ago for about $800 – I had to act fast when the sale went live, as these always sell out quickly.
- No Man Walks Alone – another excellent menswear retailer that usually has a smaller selection but often better styles. No Man Walks Alone also sometimes has some exclusive options from Valstar, like their “Clint” western jacket – outside the scope of this article, but very cool. Also note that you can get 10% off with the code SF10, so no waiting for an end-of-season sale.
Anyway, on to the meat and potatoes – here are the highlights and lowlights of the Valstarino.
Advantages
High quality materials. The goat suede used on the Valstarino is almost velvet-like, and catches the light beautifully. It looks and feels luxurious. The horn buttons are also beautiful and elevate the look further. This is definitely the type of garment that looks high-end, even from a distance. People will notice it and you’ll probably get compliments – especially if someone bumps into you and notices how soft your jacket is.
A modern take on a classic style. A big part of the appeal of the Valstarino is the design – it’s handsome, approachable, and easy to wear. The design is rooted in military history but feels sophisticated and refined. The more historically accurate versions of the A-1 are, well, pretty fuddy-duddy. Something like the Valstarino is going to be much easier to wear and you won’t risk looking like a cosplayer.
The button front is handsome, and the pleated hip pockets (with side and top entry) are a great detail that really elevate the whole jacket. The cotton webbing at the collar, hem, and sleeves, when paired with the slim fit, keep the jacket close to your body so you feel like you’re getting a very weak hug from a very soft person.
Color and Material Options. The Valstarino is usually available in a rainbow of colors and often in a few materials. This dark brown suede shown here seems to be the most common (for good reason), but you can usually find them in mossy greens, tan, and a nice palette of earthy tones. And while suede is the classic option, they are also sometimes available in non-leather materials.
Note there are also some lining variations as well – lined, unlined, lined with goose down, and even a reversible one (in case you find yourself in a Seinfeld situation). I went with an unlined version because I like seeing all the innards of the jacket and also I have no need for additional layers, given the mild San Francisco climate. All in all, these many options means there’s probably a Valstarino out there for just about everyone’s taste.
Comfortable from the start. Unlike many other leather jackets, the Valstarino looks and feels great from day one. It’s light, soft, and surprisingly cozy. There’s no break-in period here – no squeaking panels, stiff horsehides, or late-night google searches for “how many wears until my leather jacket looks good?”
Disadvantages
Delicate materials. The immediate comfort doesn’t come without drawbacks, however. Derek of Die, Workwear! put it well when he said there are, broadly speaking, two types of leather jackets – those that look better with age, and those that look best when in new condition. The suede Valstarino is decidedly the latter – while the goat suede is indeed beautiful, supple, and of very high quality, it is also relatively delicate and prone to marks and stains. This isn’t a design flaw, but simply the nature of this sort of material (and don’t just take my word for it – again, there’s a whole Seinfeld episode on this issue).
The jacket might get dimples or marks if not put on a hanger properly, and small flecks of your morning croissant may leave buttery stains that are nearly indelible. While I don’t think these marks give the Valstarino the same amount of charming “character” or “patina” in the same way they would on many other leather goods, they are inevitable and so you should be prepared to live with imperfections. This also makes me reach for my Valstarino less often – I don’t travel with it, for example, even though it would be fun to wear while abroad. Think of this jacket as a suit with a Super 180 fabric – beautiful, luxurious, but probably not something that you can wear every day. There are suede protectors on the market but I prefer to not use them on this sort of product. A suede eraser may also help remove marks, but ultimately some will remain (see the marks near the cuff below as an example – one reason to opt for a darker color).
Quality control questions. I will admit that this could very well be a one-off issue, but it was so noticeable that I have to mention it here. Not long after I purchased my jacket, all the buttons started unraveling. This was particularly odd because unlike a button on a dress shirt, these buttons weren’t under any stress at all (I wear the jacket unbuttoned) and they were also were sewn with what should have been a sturdy construction method. You can see the loose threads on multiple buttons below. One by one, they have unravelled and fallen off (and then I have sewn them back on).
Now, I will be the first to say that a button falling off is not indicative of overall quality and is also about as easy as a repair can get. And the fact that this was an issue on essentially all the buttons – whether they were used at all or not – tells me that the tension was set incorrectly on the machine when these buttons were attached. It seems unlikely that this would be a widespread issue for Valstar, but it was obvious enough that it bears mentioning. The other issue is that although I am completely capable of sewing buttons, sewing with leather is another animal entirely (pun unfortunately intended). Leather is not a textile in the traditional sense – it is not a woven fabric, but a solid hide. So there are no natural gaps in the material, which means that any point where a needle passes through it creates a permanent hole. This means that something as simple as putting a button back on is a higher-stakes job, since you don’t want to add new holes. I was comfortable taking this on but would have much preferred to not deal with it.
Style and Versatility. The same aspects that make the Valstarino versatile and easy to recommend are also those that hold it back from being as much of a statement piece as some other leather jackets. The style of the Valstarino is much more “cool dad” than it is “cool biker dude” – it’s an excellent substitute for a sportcoat, but not a great substitute for a trucker jacket or more casual piece of outerwear. It’s also not really the right jacket for wearing with, say, denim and a t-shirt (which many would think of as the classic leather jacket look). The sartorial styling on the Valstarino begs for a bit of refinement – it looks at home here with flannel trousers, or perhaps a pair of chinos.
You can see Simon of Permanent Style wearing one here, and I have worn it in all the same ways – the jeans can work, but you need to dress them up a bit. If your style is on the casual side, you may have a hard time “dressing up” to the level that this jacket looks best at. Casual wardrobes would be better suited to more casual styles, and the good new is that’s where the majority of leather jacket styles live – but not this one.
Price. This isn’t a downside per se, as I think the Valstarinos are well-priced in the market, but they are expensive enough to be out of reach for plenty. It shouldn’t be a big surprise that this piece is not cheap (like any leather jacket worth buying). It’s made in Italy out of top-tier materials from a storied manufacturer, so I do think the price is easily justified but it will certainly push the jacket out of budget for many men. The good news is that you can find them at a discount with patience – the usual price seems to be around $1200-1400, but end-of-season sales will regularly bring them down to under $1000.
Conclusion
Overall, I’m happy with my Valstarino and it has gotten some good use over the past few years. It didn’t fill the void of “The One Leather Jacket” (though I doubt any one jacket could), but it did give me a way to dress up a casual outfit or dress down a more refined one. I think the advantages outweigh the shortcomings, but its usefulness in your closet will depend on how you already dress.
If you are looking for something equally sartorial but with a bolder style, I would recommend Stoffa. Their outerwear is exceptionally beautiful and the designs, while perhaps less “classic,” cover a wide range of styles. Their flight jacket (in leather or suede) is a great alternative to the Valstarino, though it is about twice the price. Another great aspect of Stoffa is that you can get their products made-to-measure, meaning that you can pick the material and have the fit tweaked just for you.
Ultimately, the decision to invest in a Valstarino should come from what’s already in your wardrobe. It’s not perfect but it’s a good option for a more sartorial closet. If you’ve got that dawg in you and can give a leather jacket the battle scars it deserves, a classic Perfecto-style moto jacket may be just right. But if you reach for sportcoats and flannel before selvedge and field jackets, the Valstarino could be a solid choice.
