VINTAGE motorcycle gloves straight out of a Steve McQueen movie are the latest in a line of cleverly-engineered accessories by a British brand offering the final word on luxury-fitting biking apparel.
The hand-crafted classic style glove – known as the Speed – has been designed for the style conscious beards, brats, flats, and café racer cool with poly satin lining and enough delicate padding to keep riders rolling until autumn.
The automotive-influenced attire is the latest creation of Brighton-based boutique 78 Motor Co: designers of finely-tuned biker apparel, accessories, and self-described masters of all things mechanical and cool.
Owner and lead designer Anthony Jackson says: “Very few motorcycle gloves fit like they should - the leather is too loose, thumbs can be too long and fingers too short, while palm areas are too tight making them uncomfortable to wear on the bars.
“The Speed is crafted from Scandinavian hides to blend beauty with protection that is cut and stretched by hand using good old fashioned love and affection for that perfect fit, with no less than 21 individual CAD designed panels stitched together.”
Spacious finger joints and seamless palm stitching means that each pair fits like, well, a glove with semi-elasticated wrists and oversized silicone Velcro straps for a super-secure feel.
Anthony adds: “Each glove is created from full aniline hide, double stitched, and includes discreet knuckle protectors with a reinforced palm, thumb, and underside, but are also delicate enough to wear off your machine to walk the dog or even go shopping.”
The Speed also comes in various colours to match every machine - from dune yellow, farina grey, claret red, to nappa black – while riders can have their gloves caressed in beeswax and almond oil for free to add a little extra style to the patina.
The 78 Motor Co itself was born from a charity jaunt from Brighton to Mongolia in 2011 during which the big-brand gear given to Anthony disintegrated into the Gobi desert.
He says: “The borrowed gloves stretched so I could not grasp at my keys or operate my controls safely, and the helmet visor latch broke after two weeks meaning I had to face the sand without cover.”
The company now collaborates with designers, engineers, and artists from the nearby seaside city to design, build, stitch, and sew their retrospective repertoire.
Anthony adds: “The leather tones were influenced by 1960s British luxury cars with integrated cooling fins inspired by vintage Lambrettas, designed to draw air under the sleeve, while the velcro buddy tabs keep each together when not being worn.
“One 10,000 mile trip to Mongolia and 24 months of development later, the Speed has the comfort of a touring glove, the protection of a sport glove, and the style of a timeless classic.”
The 78 Speed gloves retail at - funnily enough - £78 per pair and are available worldwide from www.78motorco.com, while the company is now seeking passionate retailers in certain regions and countries.
To review additional products and read the full 78 Motor Co story visit www.78motorco.com
