How The Jacket Maker aims to redefine the leather outerwear category

Consumers today are as demanding as ever, expecting more variety, superior design and quality next to fair prices and long-term value when shopping for fashion - especially when it comes to leather goods, like outerwear, accessories and footwear. As we enter a new season, many shoppers are on the lookout for fall essentials, like a new leather jacket. Arguably never out of fashion, leather jackets retain an everlasting appeal and if well-chosen, can last decades.

However, finding the perfect leather jacket remains a challenge for many, including Syed Obaid, CEO and co-founder of The Jacket Maker. Fed up with having to decide between buying one from a fast-fashion brand or luxury label, he decided to solve the problem by creating his own label. “We offer premium quality and fair priced leather outerwear by cutting out middlemen and storefront costs,” explained Obaid to FashionUnited. “As a result, we offer one-click access to ready-made and fully customizable jackets that don't break the bank.”

Initially focusing on offering solely on leather jackets, The Jacket Maker has since expanded into categories like performance outerwear, small leather goods and accessories, footwear, handbags, puffers and windbreakers, as well as custom-made pieces, ensuring that it caters to a wider range of customer preferences and styles. Focusing on offering its customers durable, quality and timeless products that are seen as long-term investments, the online company has expanded rapidly in recent years, expanding to more than 135 countries. To learn more about The Jacket Maker’s business model, its customization process and plans for the future, we spoke with Obaid.

How did you identify the gap in the market for quality leather jackets?

Obaid: “I noticed the growing success of direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands and how they were disrupting various industries by offering better quality at fair prices. It got me thinking about which niches could benefit from this model, and leather outerwear stood out. The traditional retail approach in this space often inflates prices due to middlemen and storefront costs, leaving a gap for a DTC model to offer premium quality leather jackets at a more affordable price. That's when I realized the potential to bring real value to this market.”

What were some of the challenges that you faced during the initial stages of your company?

“One of the biggest challenges was developing an eagle-eye perspective. In the early stages, I found myself spending months working tirelessly to crack marketing campaigns, while other times, I was entirely focused on improving the user interface of the website. During the process, I would sometimes overlook critical aspects that deserved more attention. It took a few years to step back and develop a clearer, broader understanding of the key elements that drive the success of a DTC brand. The real challenge was transitioning from being a specialist to becoming a well-rounded generalist.”

What are some key aspects that make The Jacket Maker different from other leather outerwear brands?

“At The Jacket Maker, we differentiate ourselves through three key offerings. First, we deliver premium-quality leather jackets at accessible prices, avoiding luxury brand markups. Second, our Made-to-Measure service, with options starting at just 50 dollars, offers a tailored fit, a rare offering in the leather outerwear market. Finally, we blend bespoke craftsmanship with e-commerce, allowing customers to design and customize their jackets online, bringing the traditional bespoke experience to the digital world.”

How has The Jacket Maker grown over the years?

“The initial wave of customer sales and positive reviews we received after launching The Jacket Maker established our credibility and laid the foundation for year-over-year growth. Since then, media recognition from top-tier publications like Forbes and GQ also significantly boosted our global visibility, which led to our customer base growing. Additionally, securing our first B2B partnership with MTV marked our entry into custom collaborations with established brands, opening new opportunities for growth.”

How did you build such a strong customer base and following for the Jacket Maker?

“By implementing a multi-faceted strategy that includes an omni-channel marketing approach, utilizing both organic and paid methods across platforms. Unlike many DTC brands that focus solely on paid marketing, our strategy includes a diverse mix of digital channels such as organic search, paid ads, influencer marketing, and affiliate partnerships. As such, we maintain a strong social media presence and run The Jacket Maker Blog to boost brand awareness.

Our CRM has also expanded beyond email to include SMS and physical brochures, while we also focus on regional expansions, community marketing, celebrity gifting campaigns, and outbound B2B marketing. Together, these efforts lead to us engaging with new audiences, building customer relationships, and enhancing brand recognition.”

Why did you decide to offer bespoke customization next to ready-to-wear leather products?

“We recognized a gap in the market that no one else was addressing. Initially, it wasn't driven by data but by personal experiences - my friends and I often found garments we liked but wished we could tweak certain elements. We saw an opportunity to offer that flexibility by allowing customers to customize existing elements in all our products, or even create something entirely from scratch. As we fine-tuned our processes to make this offering scalable, data in the 2020s confirmed our instincts - customization was on the rise and would continue to grow.

Now many of our customers look for unique, personalized touches, from custom linings with names or initials to tailored fits and functional modifications like extra pockets. Visual customizations, such as unique designs or corporate branding, are also popular, highlighting the importance of personal and brand identity.”

All of The Jacket Maker’s custom products are made in your own production facility. Why did you shift your production in house?

“As we grew, we realized that legacy factories couldn’t handle just-in-time (JIT) production efficiently. This prompted us to establish and run our production facility, ensuring tighter control over quality and efficiency. We dedicated a significant amount of time to researching during the initial stages, which involved meeting numerous vendors and suppliers across different regions and prototyping with multiple vendors in various countries. We wanted to ensure we were getting the best quality materials, so we also purchased leather outerwear from different brands to study and compare materials firsthand. Through this process we were able to find and hire the right craftspeople so we could offer the perfect balance between quality and affordability for our products.”

Can you walk us through the process of creating a bespoke jacket from start to finish?

“The custom process begins when a customer submits their request. A design consultant then engages in detailed discussions to understand the customer's vision and preferences, refining the design before moving forward. A digital illustration is created and shared with the customer for approval, along with a price quotation. Once confirmed, the order is placed. The approved design guides the production team, who create a pattern, source materials, and construct the jacket. Embroidery, printing, and accessories are added if required. After quality control, images of the finished jacket are sent for customer approval before packaging and delivery, when the jacket is shipped directly to the customers doorstep.”

What are some of the challenges you have encountered by offering a complete customization service?

“While our bespoke service has garnered overwhelmingly positive feedback from customers, with frequent praise given for the fit, overall quality and attention to detail, some customers do note that the overall process is lengthy. The intricacies linked to customization means the service can take up to 12 weeks to finalize. However, we’re actively working to reduce this timeline by handling all personalization aspects like embroidery and printing in-house, cutting down on external vendor reliance.”

Lastly, how do you foresee The Jacket Maker evolving over the next couple of years?

“We aspire to become the go-to brand for leather goods globally, ensuring we are top-of-mind for customers seeking high-quality, stylish, and durable leather products. Our vision includes evolving into a brand recognized for both hyper-personalized items and premium off-the-rack offerings.

While we continue to enhance our bespoke services, we also aim to provide timeless ready-made outerwear, shoes, and bags that meet high standards of craftsmanship. Additionally, regional expansion is integral to our strategy; we plan to enter new markets and tailor our approach to meet the unique preferences of global audiences. Ultimately, we seek to establish The Jacket Maker as a leader in personalized and ready-to-wear leather products, known for quality, innovation, and customer-centric design.”