
There are many more examples of iconic leather jackets worn in popular culture, such as the one worn by the
T-800 character of
The Terminator movies and the longer ¾ length trench coat style worn by action heroes such as
Steven Seagal, and
Keanu Reeves and
Laurence Fishburne in
The Matrix films. Another example is the leather jackets worn by
Brad Pitt in the movie
Fight Club, where the antagonist
Tyler Durden constantly appears with different variations of his 'red' leather jacket. Other famous leather jacket icons include those worn by members of the
Black Panthers in the 1960s and 1970s,
punk rock groups such as the
Ramones, the
Libertines, members of
heavy metal subcultures, etc. In most pop culture examples, the jackets are worn by people cultivating an intimidating and potentially violent or rebellious image. The tan leather jacket in particular has become very popular with the
Brit Pop and
Indie music image and culture and is famously worn by people such as
Kelly Jones of the
Stereophonics. The Punk culture also "rocks" the leather jacket with accessories suck as chains, studs, cuts, ands sketch designs. Many "Metal Heads" go with the Judas Priest look (Black leather jacket, black leather pants, Chains, and Tons of Studs.)
There is a substantial difference between leather jackets made for fashionable purposes and those worn for protection (in activities such as motorcycle riding). Leather jackets designed for protective use are safety equipment and are heavier, thicker, and often equipped with armor, thus becoming a very practical item of clothing regardless of the symbolism invested in them by popular culture. A leather jacket primarily designed for fashion purposes is not likely to be of much use in a motorcycle accident.
Leather jackets were also popular with the Russian
Bolsheviks and were nearly a uniform for the
Commissars during the
Russian Civil War and later for the members of the
Cheka. This practice is said to have been initiated by
Yakov Sverdlov.