The Souvenir Jacket: Fashion’s New Trendy Bomber

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE

The Fashionisto

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Published April 6, 2016

Gucci Fall/Winter 2016Pin
A model walks the runway in a souvenir jacket from Gucci’s fall-winter 2016 collection.

Revisited in luxurious materials and fun prints, the bomber jacket has enjoyed a trendy comeback, dominating the runways over the last couple of seasons. Kickstarting the next outerwear trend, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Valentino are among the fashion brands embracing its storied alternative–the souvenir jacket. The current style has been worn by entertainers such as Zayn Malik and Harry Styles, but the original souvenir jacket or sukajan dates back to post World War II Japan.

Souvenir Jacket Brief History

Often finished with a varsity collar or baseball jacket style silhouette, the souvenir jacket was a favorite of American soldiers looking to memorialize their time spent overseas. Like many designer fashions today, the souvenir jacket embodied a meeting of east and west, featuring local culture juxtaposed with American symbolism. Modern souvenir jackets continue with similar sentiments as brands exchange American iconography for their signature aesthetic.

Shop the Modern Souvenir Jacket

Valentino Printed Satin Souvenir Jacket: Valentino creative directors Maria Chiuri and Pier Piccioli make a strong case for the souvenir jacket with their gorgeous spin on the classic. The design duo embrace satin and oriental orchids for the statement jacket.Pin
Valentino Printed Satin Souvenir Jacket: Staying on top of men’s fashion trends, Valentino creative directors Maria Chiuri and Pier Piccioli make a strong case for the souvenir jacket with their gorgeous spin on the classic. The design duo embrace satin and oriental orchids for the statement jacket.
Roberto Cavalli Satin Souvenir Jacket: Italian fashion brand Roberto Cavalli is ready to dress the king of cool with its hot pink and black take on the iconic souvenir jacket.Pin
Roberto Cavalli Satin Souvenir Jacket: Italian fashion brand Roberto Cavalli is ready to dress the king of cool with its hot pink and black take on the iconic souvenir jacket. The satin jacket’s front design features embroideries of scorpions.
Roberto Cavalli's reversible satin souvenir jacket features a menacing tiger embroidery. Pin
Roberto Cavalli’s reversible satin souvenir jacket features a menacing tiger embroidery.
Alexander McQueen Navy Souvenir Jacket: Alexander McQueen offers up a minimal take on the souvenir jacket trend with tonal style.Pin
Alexander McQueen Navy Souvenir Jacket: Depicting a bird and nature, British fashion house Alexander McQueen offers up a minimal take on the souvenir jacket trend with tonal style.
Lord & Taylor Laboratory Man Satin Souvenir Jacket: Retailer Lord & Taylor taps into the souvenir jacket trend with its very own brand. A pair of tigers decorate the blue and white style, which features a varsity collar. Pin
Lord & Taylor Laboratory Man Satin Souvenir Jacket: Retailer Lord & Taylor taps into the souvenir jacket trend with its very own brand. A pair of tigers decorate the blue and white style, which features a varsity collar.
ASOS Quilted Souvenir Jacket with Tiger Embroidery: ASOS revisits the souvenir jacket with a quilted bomber jacket that features a tiger embroidery.Pin
ASOS Quilted Souvenir Jacket with Tiger Embroidery: British retailer ASOS revisits the souvenir jacket with its in-house brand, unveiling a quilted bomber jacket that features a tiger embroidery.

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