BEN SHERMAN AW15 x ALPHA INDUSTRIES

Ben Sherman & Alpha Industires, two esteemed heritage brands come together to put a unique British twist on an icon of classic American style.

Ben Sherman produced a film to celebrate the union of the two brands. The idea behind the film was to marry a contemporary modern style with a Buffalo punk sensibility. A huge amount of detail was paid to the people that were involved in the producing of the film and down to the way the film was shot.

Barry Kamen, who was an original member of the Buffalo movement, styled the film and pulled his inspiration from the original uniform of the Buffalo style. Whilst of course incorporating the Ben Sherman iconic DNA elements of London style and ‘Button Up’ ethos.  Frank Lebon, son of Mark Lebon a key contributor to the Buffalo scene, worked on the moving image and photography used to set the mood and creativity of the film. Using two 35mm half frame stills cameras firing on rapid motor drive in stop motion style.  Barry Kamen and Frank Lebon treated the shoot as a stills fashion shoot, heavily styled, showing all the details of the shirts and jacket but animated the film into a sequence that added a unique edge and vitality to an over saturated digital medium.

The film presents two models; Sid Charity and Noah Negrit, again both heavily affiliated with the Buffalo scene and its members. Sid is the son of Roger Charity, who was a part of Ray Petri’s Buffalo crowd. Noah son of Jack Negrit, who was the main inspiration of the Buffalo style and movement, and also part of the Buffalo crew.

In the 1960s, Alpha Industries became one of the biggest manufacturers for the U.S. armed forces. The company was known for several iconic styles, including the MA-1 flight jacket primarily used by U.S. Air Force and Navy pilots and air and ground crews.

The MA-1 flight jacket was first issued in the early 1950s, as a replacement for the B-15 flight jacket, and it went through various revisions over the years to improve upon its design. In 1963, As Ben Sherman was just starting out in Brighton the now iconic MA-1 jackets Alpha was producing had a sage green outer shell and reversed to a bright Indian Orange lining. This safety feature allowed downed air crews to be more visible to rescue groups. Intended for use in cold weather, the MA-1’s also had a warm wool interlining and wool knit collar, cuffs, and waistband.

With over fifty years in the industry, Alpha Industries was founded in Knoxville, Tennesee by Samuel Gelber, starting out as an official supplier to the U.S military. The exclusivity made it more appealing and it wasn’t long before the apparel was made available internationally. The brand is now known for its numerous outerwear pieces and vests, but will maintain a place as the creator of authentic military flight jackets since 1959.

For AW15, Ben Sherman has teamed up with Alpha Industries to re-create the famous MA-1 flight jacket in three new styles. Combining Alpha’s iconic nylon material and orange interior with our signature branding and house gingham lining.

The three styles come available in sage green and navy cuff and hem tipping, replica blue with grey tipping and a final piece incorporating both colourways.

The dual-brand pieces have been crafted with military in mind. The jackets feature heavy satin twill for versatile wear and water-resistant properties, whilst a Ben Sherman mod-feel has been cleverly worked in, re-working this all-American classic.

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