„We were never meant to be a world-famous fashion brand…
Alpha Industries started off making military clothing in 1959, in a rented factory in knoxville, tennessee. Alpha’s outstanding quality quickly gained a reputation with the us defense department. Our reputation spread to civilians, propelled by youth subcultures, and the brand became a style of street wear: A special look that came from outside the normal world commercial brands.
Alpha’s fame was built on the back of a few key designs, starting with the MA-1 bomber jacket, the classic U.S. Air Force flight jacket for over 50 years. It was made for use in cold weather and was reversible to highvisibility indian orange for use in emergencies. Instantly recognizable in its original military sage green shell, fashion designers have been customizing the MA-1 since the 1980s.
Another popular icon is the M-65, which became the basic american infantry field jacket in 1965. It came to fame during the Vietnam War, but not only because it was warn by soldiers – curiously it was a big favorite among peace protestors too. It has featured in countless films, and was most famously warn by Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver. So how does a piece of uniform become a symbol of individuality?
It’s up to you. The way that hippies, punks and fashionistas customized their Alpha jackets is curiously similar to the way the Air Force pilots decorate theirs with paintings and badges.
More than 55 years after we started, we’re still focused on bringing our specialist manufacturing and design abilities to the people who appreciate them.“
