The original model of the commonly known “pea coat” is said to have existed in the 18th century. The name originated from the Dutch word “piijekker,” in which “pii” referred to coarse woolen item and “jekker” referred to jacket. Pea coat style coats were worn by a number of militaries in European countries. This pea coat is from the 1910s that the U.S. Navy issued to petty officers. Pea coats of the 1910s are characterized by the use of highdensity, thick melton wool material and anchor buttons engraved with 13 stars of the seal of the United States. The 13 stars represent the 13 colonies that existed when the United States declared independence in 1777. While it is not known exactly when the U.S. Navy adopted the pea coat, the overcoat was already port of the petty officer dress code during World War I. A large collar was designed so that officers working on the sea can cover their faces with the collar and fully protect their faces from strong winds. In addition, slittype pockets were attached vertically to serve as hand warmer pockets to warm up cold hands.From the 1930s and onwards, as a result of reviewing productivity and cost, lighter fabrics were utilized, and the 13-star buttons were eliminated.This coat is designed to be slightly shorter in length than the original governmentsupplied pea coats so that it will have mobility. Also, to have entrances of the pocket reinforced with the leather welts.

WILLIAM GIBSON COLLECTION

Early in 2003, best-selling novelist William Gibson released a groundbreaking new book, “PATTERN RECOGNITION”. This absorbing and masterfully crafted novel is set in the period immediately following “9-11”, featuring a high-tech., super-hip, cyber-chic, anti-fashion sophisticate, Cayce Pollard, as the heroine. Brilliantly woven within the many pages of cutting-edge prose Mr. Gibson has crafted is the one object more valued by Cayce Pollard than any other her Black Buzz Rickson’s MA-1 Flying Jacket. William Gibson is an author of superior talent and exceptional good taste. Vintage clothing represents an area of personal interest to him, especially wristwatches, US flying jackets and jeans. He is a great admirer of the goods produced by Buzz Rickson’s, which is what provided the inspiration for the fictionalized Buzz Rickson’s black MA-1 jacket worn by his central character, Cayce Pollard, in his novel. In the course of writing his novel, Mr.Gibson was aware that no MA-1 jackets were ever produced for the USAF in black but he decided to make the color of Cayce's jacket black, not Sage Green, which is the original color of the MA-1,because Cayce's jacket needed to be black in the creative vision of Mr.Gibson. Today, Buzz Rickson's is proud to introduce the all new William Gibson Collection of Classic Military Jacket Styles produced exclusively in BLACK.