Founder Ross Langlitz was born in New Plymouth, Idaho, in 1918. At the age of 17, he lost his right leg in a motorcycle accident, but he went on to compete in numerous races with a prosthetic leg, winning 47 trophies in 17 years, from 1938 to 1954. A true motorcycle enthusiast, he worked as a mechanic at a Harley shop in Arizona after the war and served as president of the "Flying 15 MC," one of the oldest motorcycle clubs on the West Coast, making him a well-known figure around Oregon. During World War II, he learned cutting and sewing techniques at a military glove factory, and shortly after the war, in 1945, he began making motorcycle jackets in his basement, first for himself, then for his family and friends.
The company was founded in 1947. It opened a small shop called "The Leather Garment Shop" and operated under the brand name "Speedway Togs" for three years, from 1947 to 1949. From 1950 onwards, the company name and brand name were unified as "Langlitz Leathers," and this remains the case today. Behind this was his own story: losing his right leg in a motorcycle accident at a young age, carrying that disability, and tirelessly cutting and sewing at his workbench. His passion and perseverance as a rider were poured into his leather jackets. With revolutionary designs such as "Cascade" and "Westerns," which he introduced before rival brands, he achieved many innovative feats in American motorcycle history. The strong individuality still felt in Langlitz leather jackets today is a direct result of his DNA being deeply preserved. It is that passion and perseverance that have elevated the Langlitz brand to its current position. That great individuals are often painstaking craftsmen was no exception in the case of Ross Langlitz.
The office has never left Portland, Oregon, a city rich in nature, and the current small head office and factory still retain the scent of "good old America" that has remained unchanged since the 1960s. The unique scent emanating from Langlitz products can now be described as a very rare "American scent." Of course, over many years, various changes and evolutions have occurred with the times, from tag changes to detailed sewing methods. Fortunately, these historical details have been meticulously preserved, and as a result, "the more you know," the more you are drawn to the unique charm of Langlitz. And it was the "flexible and meticulous craftsmanship" unique to a small custom-made shop that gradually spread the name "Langlitz" to the world.
In the 1970s, the company began to receive a considerable number of orders, mainly from the West Coast, and from the mid-1980s onwards, international orders also surged. After the 1990s, when the era of "MADE IN U.S.A." came to an end, Langlitz became universally recognized as the King of Leather. The ability to maintain stable management and quality with a small production volume of six pieces per day can be described as a "miraculous situation" in today's apparel industry. The background to this success includes the old-school environment of Oregon and, above all, the strong bonds of the Langlitz family that prevented the brand's demise. This is the result of the Langlitz DNA cultivated over 70 years of history. And the sense of weight and aura felt when wearing a Langlitz jacket is nothing less than wearing the glorious history of Langlitz and America itself.
