Harley Museum to Dress in Black – Leather

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com

Some things never go out of style, and that certainly includes the black leather jackets that so many riders wear both for protection and as a fashion statement. The Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee will celebrate this zippered piece of motorcycle culture with an exhibit from June 13 through Sept. 3 that’s dubbed “Worn to be Wild: The Black Leather Jacket.” The 4,000-suqare-foot exhibit will trace the function and design history of the leather jacket, and will include jackets worn by celebrities, including Elvis Presley.

The “Worn to be Wild” display will be the third of three special exhibits at the museum during 2012. The first two are open and ongoing. “Watercolors by Willie G.” features the artwork of Harley’s chief styling officer Willie G. Davidson, grandson of one of the company’s founders. It runs through April 15. “Journey of the Iron Elite: The Evolution of Motorcycle Culture through the Eyes of African-Americans” opened Friday. A closing date hasn’t been posted.