Inside the secret leathers Hideout
We go under the skin at Hideout to see how they save ours
In a humble, converted stable block deep in the picturesque, rolling countryside of the Essex/Cambridgeshire borders, lays one of the gems of the British motorcycle industry. Hideout Leather, which set up shop back in 1978, design, manufacture and retail, all from the same timber-clad premises, bespoke leather suits, jackets and jeans for road riders to TT racers, police forces and even movie stars. They also sell off-the-peg bike gear from a variety of other manufacturers, repair and alter leathers of all brands and also, uniquely in the UK, craft bespoke textile garments. So, although outwardly small, Hideout’s reputation, global reach, fame and commercial success is anything but. On average their small team of staff make 10 suits a week. “There’s a real resurgence in craftsmanship,” explains co-owner Kate Jennings. “People want Britishmade garments and I think we prove that the quality of what we do in the UK is so much better than some of the imported gear you see.”
Kate joined Hideout fresh from fashion college in 1995. The firm was originally set up by Peter Hamlet in the late 1970s and the two worked together until Peter’s retirement. Kate said: “He was a proper craftsman but needed organising. That’s where I came in. We made a great team.”
Kate and sister Rachael then took over and with a lot of hard work and commitment to quality and personal service, the company has gone from strength to strength. “Leathers and leather jackets can be very prized, personal things,” Kate continues. “People keep them for a lifetime and hand them down through the family. They have a history that owners cherish. The things we’re making now will hopefully be
the heritage of the future rather than just the here and now.”
Those people come in all shapes and sizes, too: “We do a lot of stuff for big men and big women. We’re well known for helping women with bike gear and one of the most satisfying things is making suits that look good, fit well but do the job well, too.” And, despite the company only using the best A-grade leather, zips and stitching, they aren’t as expensive as you might expect. Hideout’s one-piece leather suits start at £1000 and that’s not silly money for something that might save your life.