The leather jacket is a classic in any wardrobe — the quintessential wardrobe item for icons and the edgiest heroes everywhere. Its symbolism transcends any other direct meaning of what a “cool” guy is.
There are several variations of the leather jacket ranging from bomber to field, but one of the most iconic is the highly sought- letterman varsity jacket. A tradition in collegiate athletics, if you were caught in one- you were somebody of note. In 2022, varsity jackets have made their way into pop culture and everyone is finding cool ways to find them, either buying new designs from their favorite stores or thrifting old ones.
MDJ Original exclusive jackets seek to take the classic leather look and add a personal unique spin to it. A former Clark Atlanta University basketball letterman, Melvin Davis, Jr. has taken his love for the look and turned it into an Atlanta fashion staple. Originally a hobby started in college after customizing his own lettermen jacket, Davis owes the inspiration to his former basketball coach, Michael Vickerstaff, who provided him room and board while attending Clark Atlanta University. Upon Vickerstaff’s passing, Davis made a jacket in his honor — a good intention that would turn into an unexpected venture. Individuals were inquiring if he made jackets for commercial sale when he showed off the jacket on social media. Eventually, the demand became too high to just ignore looking further into it and Davis’s hobby officially launched into a business venture.
As anybody would know leather jackets can be expensive. After going through several manufacturers (and getting scammed a few times, according to Davis) he finally found the perfect manufacturer. A company that would allow Davis to use the desired leathers while competing on the quality of popular European brands like Gucci and Louis Vuitton, while also maintaining a desirable cost for the customer. Several individuals have repped the brand from Lil Jon, and DJ Mars, all the way to Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens.
One special story is that of athlete and University of Colorado head football coach Deion Sanders. Davis sent Sanders a jacket- one which wouldn’t be worn for an entire year. Then on February 25, 2022 everything changed.
“One night my phone lit up. People were like ‘yo, check out Deion Sanders, [he] popped out with your jacket on the Jimmy Fallon show,’ remembered Davis. “I turned on the TV and there he was, sitting down with my jacket on a national television show,” said Sanders.
The best shoutouts are the silent shoutouts.
Synonymous with a good jacket is the word, legacy.
James Dean would be immortalized in his red jacket from the movie “Rebel Without A Cause”. Same with Steve Mcqueen in his leather bomber from “The Great Escape”, and finally Marlon Brando in his leather motor jacket from, “The Wild One”. Now we have Deion Sanders in his varsity MDJ exclusive jacket.
“The legacy, I want my jackets to carry is that ‘this jackets feel good to me’. I want the customer to know that the making of their jacket was also personal to me. Their jacket becomes my legacy as well. I’m making an iconic jacket that is personal to you. It’s a part of your legacy,” said Davis.
You can find MDJ original exclusive jackets online at