The official Lucasfilm website take a look at the new Indiana Jones jackets available from US Wings and chat with Sgt David Hack who delves into the companies history with Lucasfilm, one which reaches all the way back to 1981.
David Hack, who has loved Indiana Jones since he saw Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981, and tried to secure a license during its initial theatrical run. “I reached out to George Lucas with my attorney and we had, I thought, a very good meeting,” Hack says. “At that time, he did not have any licensees to my knowledge, but he kept the paperwork in his desk. And then last winter, Lucasfilm Consumer Products reached out to me and wanted to talk about what we could do together. And said that they still had all the paperwork that I submitted way back when.”
US Wings’ Indy range includes several variations made from different materials that result in subtle differences in color and texture. There are also kid versions for future archeologists. “Our jackets are absolutely, positively awesome,” Hack says. “They’re the best of the best of the best. Just plain and simple. Whenever we make a jacket, we keep one thing in mind: that that jacket’s going to stay in that family or be sold to someone else. They’re made to last at least 50 years minimum, so people get excited about them.” According to Hack, “90 percent” of the jackets are made in the US, with a smattering of elements coming from other countries.
In addition to the jackets, US Wings has also created the “Indiana Jones Adventure Bag,” similar to the WWII-era British MK VII respirator bag. “The bag started in World War I. After World War I, it took hold in World War II. The bag is canvas and it’s strong, it’s durable. The leather is strong and durable. And Indiana Jones, in every movie, has that bag,” Hack says. “So we looked at the bag and we said, ‘Okay, let’s offer something a little different. Let’s offer the bag in different sizes.’” The largest bag can carry a laptop, and each version is versatile enough for almost anywhere. “You can use it for sporting, you can use it on the beach, you can use it in the office, you can use it anywhere.”
