Cossack Leather Jackets – Five Plus One

Five Plus One is our weekly series of buyer’s guides. We pick a specific category and dig up five great options along with one that’s a little outside the norm.


If you are anything like me, you like to wear your leather jackets year round. But if they’re shearling, wool-lined, or just made of a heftier leather than can be problematic as the weather gets warmer. Luckily, some styles of leather jackets, such as the Cossack, are lighter weight, look great worn open, and are just generally the perfect warm-weather jackets. And that’s what this week’s Five Plus One is all about. From the straight and narrow to a step outside the norm, here are the Cossacks we co-sign.

1) Thedi x Thurston Bros: Button-Up Shawl Collar Utility Jacket

Cossack-Leather-Jackets---Five-Plus-One 1) Thedi x Thurston Bros: Button-Up Shawl Collar Utility Jacket

Thedi’s Button-Up Shawl Collar Utility Jacket is a simple but high-quality interpretation of cossack jackets. With its curved, roll-over leather collar, small front button closure, and two flapped front pockets, this jacket isn’t redesigning the wheel by any means, but that’s really what you want from a vintage-inspired daily driver leather jacket. Available in both brown and black cowhide, this piece will have no problem becoming your next go-to jacket if that’s what you are looking for.

Available for $1250 at Thurston Bros.

2) Aero: Aeromarine

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Aero is known for their heavyweight, made-to-order, vintage style leather jackets, so it should come as no surprise that they have a great version of the cossack. Dubbed the Aeromarine, it’s offered in a ton of different leathers (Russet Goatskin pictured) and it’s a bit heavier than other cossacks, which makes it less than ideal if you want a summer jacket. That said, all the details are there—from the front buttons and side tabs to the curved collar and buttoned cuffs.

Available from £770 (~$1010USD) at Aero.

3) Mister Freedom: Campus Jacket in Natural

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Mister Freedom is certainly a divisive brand, but their classic reinterpretations remain solid across the board. And while most of their offerings are a bit out there, their Campus Jacket is actually a bit tame, save for the undyed nature of the leather. But that’s really the beauty of this piece—the great patina that will develop with every wear. In addition, this jacket is unlined to help it mold to your body with every move and to keep it lightweight. It has all the details you’d expect to find on a cossack style jacket, plus great triangular stitching reinforcement at the hand pockets that replaced the flapped front pockets (and, arguably, throw question to its cossack status).

Available for $950 from Mister Freedom.

4) Bill Kelso: Cossack

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Bill Kelso’s Cossack leather jacket is a great choice if you want something that is customized to your exact likings. From the exterior leather and inner lining to the thread and buttons, just about everything on this jacket can be altered until it’s perfect for you. That said, the base design is about as good as it gets. The design is as cossack-y as they come and the thin leather ensures this jacket will feel better and better each time you put it on.

Available from £650 (~$850USD) at Bill Kelso.

5) Himel Bros: Heron

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Himel Bros’ Heron jacket is a grail for many of us, and it’s easy to see why. They offer a great selection of quality leathers, a perfect cut, and some of the best construction around. Each jacket features buttonholes made on a 1940s Reece 101 buttonhole machine, NOS cateye buttons, and 100% cotton thread. While it’s hard to imagine a better interpretation of this jacket than the one pictured, a wide range of fabric linings, extra internal pockets, and more are available on request.

Available from $2250 at Himel Bros.

Plus One – Ooe Yofukuten: Cossack Leather Jacket

Cossack-Leather-Jackets---Five-Plus-One-Plus-One---Ooe-Yofukuten-Cossack-Leather-Jacket

Ooe Yofukuten’s interpretation of the Cossack Leather Jacket is one of the best things to come out of 2019 so far. Made entirely in Japan by a team of two, these jackets have all the details you could possibly want and so much more. The design is perfect and true to the era, and the jacket features gorgeous brass buckles, custom teacore horsehide that will age beautifully, corozo nut buttons, and functional front hand pockets.

Available for $1700 from Standard & Strange.