BUZZ RICKSON'S

The M-51 parka is an updated version of the M-48 pullover parka that had evolved since World War II. It was provided mainly to U.S. Army officers and personnel who fought in the cold during the Korean War. To protect the U.S. Forces from this unprecedented cold battlefield, a layer system was employed so that the parka could be worn over ordinary equipment. While the shell of the initial model (1951) was made of thick cotton satin, it was changed to oxford cotton nylon from the 1952 and later models to cut down on cost and make the parka lighter. The cuff has a rubber strap adjuster belt to better keep out the cold. Heat-insulating wool is also used for the pockets.

The M-65 continues to reign as the ultimate field jacket. The jacket traces its roots back to the M-41 field jacket of World War II, which was improved through trial and error over time, and was perfected during the Vietnam War. This exquisitely perfected M-65 continues to have a great impact on modern civilian clothing, but even at that time it was an epoch-making jacket that was immensely popular among soldiers. At that time in Vietnam, US military officers were able to order custom-made clothes for prices that were very low for them. The soldiers took their government-issued jackets to local tailors around the base and asked them to replicate the jackets using materials they could procure. In this way, jackets such as the tiger pattern, which was different from government-issued products, were born.