Richard Walker’s Pants
Richard Walker is mentioned in the Wild Company book (pg. 106) as an American working in London as a buyer who helped connect the Zieglers with Mr. Brady for the Traveling Bag, among others. When they ran into difficulties with fussy English factories he sent them to Italy for designing their leather and linen bags.
The pants he inspired, WW2 US Army issues, debuted in Spring 1986 and remained through Spring 1988.
Copy from the catalog:
One day in London, our expatriate friend Richard Walker pulled out a pair of pants that had been issued to him as an Army recruit, 25 years earlier. “The best-fitting, sturdiest pants I ever owned,” he announced. “They don’t make ‘em like this anymore!” They were classic chinos, vintage 1945-button fly, no pleats, rugged twill. At Fort Carson, Colorado, Richard had surreptitiously procured pair after stylishly baggy pair for civilian friends, and couldn’t part with his own, despite his relentlessly expanding waistline. Moved by his plight, we had no choice but to replicate the pattern and fabric, and dedicate the pants to Richard Walker, who by now owns a lifetime supply.
Like most tales in the BR catalogs, the reality is lovingly embroidered to give the product an impeccable and interesting pedigree… I was actually interviewed by Richard Walker, the CEO of the British Buying Agency working for Gap and BR in the early 80’s before I became Sourcing Director for Gap in Europe. My first job for Banana Republic was to help source the famous leather bags and belts in England, fabrics from Italy and flannel shirts from Portugal. I stayed on at Gap for almost 20 years!
That’s all I am revealing about Richard Walker’s pants…
Thanks for posting, Jorge! Very interesting!