No.2 THE LONDON LEATHERMAN BELTS
AGRO
SEXY ACCESSORY
LEGENDARY ROCK REGALIA
Look Hook No.2 – The London Leatherman Rock’n’Roll belts. London Leather Mans belts have made it into some legendary rockers regalia, and now their distinct looks deliver sexy shots of agro-authenticity to your trousers. Their brutal biker/bondage visuals got them involved with all sorts of wearers from the original Punk scene, but their not they’re first fan club. The London Leatherman was a specialised workshop making leather fetish gear in the Sixties onwards (click) attracting Tom of Finland fans, Brando Wild One devotees and old-fashion bondage disciples. It was later the source for the bondage elements of Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood’s early style amalgams. Sold with their labels in at Sex, Seditionaries and Let It Rock this ‘collaboration’ solicited numerous historical Rock’n’Roll linkage.
LONDON LEATHER MAN PUNK ROCKERS
LLM studded belts & cuffs were worn by critical musicians of the early Punk scene. The Sex Pistols, The Clash, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Generation X, The Slits, Adam Ant and The New York Dolls all busted this actual gear. Distinct square chrome buckles and metal eyelets with various arrangements of studs pack a tough, sexy punch*. The Pistols belt £125 (click) has small and large round studs and was worn by Pistol Steve Jones to perform God Save The Queen (click).
PISTOLS BELT
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN
London Leather Man was founded by a fella named Ken in the Sixties and based in Battersea, but is now owned by Dave Carroll of Pride&Clarke (click) also hailing from Battersea and wielding Punk Rock status. Carroll is an authenticity obsessive, entrepreneur and leather wearing biker. More bout him and his partner smokin’ Bridget Veal in another post just about them and their Pride & Clarke outfit. “Our belts compliment any jean, leather and trouser look, just throw them on” suggests the ever exuberant Rocker Carroll.
ROTTEN WOZ HERE
THE DELUXE BELT
The Deluxe studded belt £195 (click) combine’s small round chrome studs with long rectangular ones for double strong hardware visuals and make the eyelets look particularly cool. This style was worn by both Vicious and Rotten. “The fashion items, alongside their matching studded wrist cuffs, that were considered an offensive weapon” Carroll tells me of LLM belts "You couldn't find a finer belt to hit someone with in a fight. Worn to impress and beat the rest.”
VICIOUS
YOU HIT ME WITH A FLOWER
The Pyramid belt, £195, with chrome pyramid studs and one was made for Rotten as well. These belts scream out for blue denim, but they also work with smarter looks/suits for punk sartorial agro accent. They’re made in England from leather, studs and buckles from Italy, for those that are bothered.
GALAXY BELT
HANGING ON A SPECULUM HOOK
I am no Punk Rocker, but I am sucked into their silver Block Busters belt £85 (click), with D-ring intended for wallet chain. Been putting a flouncy scarf through it, Dolls style (click). The black Buccaneer version (click) has the D-ring detail too (click) but check recently added is the Ziggy belt (click) with D-ring and fine studs.
“BLOCK BUSTER!”
DOES ANYONE KNOW THE WAY?
<what the fuck was gonna go in this vacant bit here??>
Stubbs out to lunch (click).
* are tough, sexy punches still a thing?