Grail-list clothing items don’t often get name-checked in popular science fiction novels, unless you’re a fan of William Gibson’s work, that is. Back in the early 2000s, Gibson created a make believe flight jacket by Buzz Rickson that one of the main characters of his stories valued as a prized possession. Soon after that, the real life Buzz Rickson released their coveted MA-1 jacket, made with exceptional attention to detail and true heritage inspiration.
Their latest release, the William Gibson x Buzz Rickson L-2B Flight Jacket, is a new and updated version of the popular MA-1. It contains a lot of the same features, except this time around they removed the furry wool lining, making it more accessible and versatile as an year-round wardrobe piece.
The outer is constructed from a black nylon that breaks wind and repels water just like they did in the 1950s, per USAF specs, done in the same weight and weave, too. It’s also been outfitted with two cotton-lined front-snap down pockets, exact replicas of the original heavy duty 1953 Crown zippers, and herringbone twill zip tape, just for good measure.
Still not convinced? Maybe the left chest oxygen mask retainer clip and two snap-down headset- and microphone-wiring lead tabs will help convince you that this piece is equal parts inspiration and homage. Props, Buzz.
Available for $525 at Self Edge.
