Journal entry N° 02
The Safari Jacket
A military classic with four patch pockets and a belted waist, and still one of the most practical jackets you can own.
Few jackets wear their history as openly as the safari jacket. Its name comes from its use on safari in the mid-1930s, but its roots go back further, to the battlefields of South Africa.
Here is where the safari jacket came from, what defines it, and how we cut it at ŠAKAL.
IThe origin
From the Boer War to the catwalk
The safari jacket began as military wear. Writing in The Gentleman's Journal, Kim Silverman traces it to the Second Boer War at the turn of the 20th century, when British forces were stationed in South Africa.
By the mid-1930s it had become the jacket of choice on safari, which is how it got its name. Since then it has been revived and reworked many times, most recently on the catwalk.
IIThe design
Built to carry things
The safari jacket has kept its place in tailoring because it is practical. It was designed to be worn and used, not just admired.
Four patch pockets
Sewn onto the front panels and usually closed with buttons, so what you carry stays put.
A belt or sash
Cinches the waist and keeps the pockets, and what is in them, close to the body.
Military lines
A structured, utilitarian silhouette that still recalls the jacket's army origins.
Named for the safari, born in the military.
The ŠAKAL Atelier
IIIAt ŠAKAL
True to its roots
At ŠAKAL, we keep the safari jacket faithful to its military origins and retain its classic features: the four buttoned patch pockets and the belted waist.
Because every ŠAKAL pattern is drafted from scratch, the jacket is cut to your build and posture, not a size chart. It sits in our casual tailoring alongside Gurkha trousers, and we make it for men and women.
IVQuestions
What clients ask us
Why is it called a safari jacket?
It takes its name from its use on safari in the mid-1930s, though the design began as military wear during the Second Boer War.
How do you wear a safari jacket today?
Treat it as a lighter alternative to a blazer, over a shirt or knit with tailored trousers. Belted, it gives a defined waist; unbelted, it reads more relaxed.
Can I commission a safari jacket at ŠAKAL?
Yes. It is part of our casual tailoring, made to your measurements over six to eight weeks, for men and women. See how a commission unfolds in our bespoke process.
A safari jacket is best judged on the body. Visit the atelier to see the details up close and choose a cloth for yours.
— Šakal Atelier · Singapore
