Harley-Davidson Sells ‘Authorized’ Vintage At Its Newly Annual Milwaukee Homecoming Festival

Harley-Davidson, Inc., the American motorcycle manufacturer headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was founded in 1903, revolutionizing motorcycle production and culture and fostering a biker style known globally by aficionados. As an American motorcycle manufacturer that survived the Great Depression, Harley-Davidson celebrates 120 years of motorcycles and biker culture.

A celebration of Harley-Davidson’s 120th Anniversary in Milwaukee as the birthplace of the iconic motorcycle brand hosted its homecoming. The homecoming delivered a weekend with various activities, including H-D Museum tours, new product demonstrations, H-D and BMX stunt shows, food trucks, and community projects at Veterans Park in the Milwaukee downtown area. The Harley-Davidson Museum was also a meeting ground for motorcycle enthusiasts from all over America, including the world, from places like France, South Africa, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, and Mexico, to name a few.

Harley-Davidson fostered the classic American biker style, characterized by actors like James Dean, Mickey Rourke, and many bikers who have adapted the leatherhead-slash-Grateful Dead aesthetic. On July 14 and 15, the “Homecoming” festival for Harley-Davidson brought enthusiasts to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, home of the motorcycle manufacturer. Bands like Green Day and Foo Fighters headlined the event, while The Cult and Cody Jinx brought the nostalgia home to Milwaukee and thousands of Harley-Davidson riders and aficionados.

Besides the cool merchandise on sale for headlining bands Green Day and Foo Fighter, a tradition of music festivals, many of the attendees were covered in their own Harley-Davidson gear. Including Harley-Davidson t-shirts and hats, the most striking style choice was the personalized leather vest that veteran riders wore, which bore their bike “gang” mantra, chapter, and location, showing true affiliation to the culture created by founders William Harley and the Davidson brothers, whose lineage is still overseeing the brand today.

A standout on the festival grounds, the H-D apparel booth [H-D Collections] offered new styles from Harley-Davidson’s fashion collection, drawing in familiar customers and a new generation of In the spirit of sustainability and circularity, Harley-Davidson has cultivated and curated a new line it has deemed its “Authorized Vintage” collection. With four ‘chapters’ to its apparel line and a separate “motor clothes” category for true riders, there is a rooted element of biker culture tied to the evolution of the clothing worn by Harley-Davidson fans.

Erica Bullard, Senior Vice President of Apparel and Licensing explains the brand ethos, “Our story was around homecoming, and this is the 120th. We were building through previous homecoming products that we found in the market to tell the story of Homecoming to ultimately culminate here. When we did collaborations with Champion, we put our Champion vintage product online. So we’re trying to tell the story of Harley-Davidson through our vintage product, but it’s one of one curated and edited kind of collection. “

The H-D Collections embodies captivating stories of adventure, rebellion, and the American Spirit. Each item in the collection is carefully curated, sourced, and authenticated by H-D’s historians, ensuring its authenticity. The latest release includes highly sought-after pieces from the Champion x Harley-Davidson archives. Champion, a renowned American sportswear brand, has become a cultural icon synonymous with quality, aligning perfectly with the unwavering commitment to excellence that Harley-Davidson represents.

SVP of apparel Bullard, who is also a former competitive skier connects the dots stating, “We call [it] sport. That’s the product to wear on the bike. That’s leather riding jackets, helmets, gloves, anything to go on the bike. Then we have – within motor clothes – we have Lifestyle. Lifestyle is meant to serve the rider or non-rider but off the bike. And so those two product lines – or sport and lifestyle – show up in our dealers and on hd.com. On March 23, we launched HD Collections. HD Collections is about taking the inspiration of motorcycle culture and driving that forward.”

Bullard continues, “It’s not necessarily for riding on the bike, but it is very clearly drawn from the heritage of what Harley Davidson is and it’s modernized for the future. HD Collections is meant to bring people into the brand that may not resonate with going to a dealer.”

“We want to bring you into the Harley Davidson brand and be inspired to ride. Ultimately, go to a dealer to get everything you need to ride a bike.” Bullard expresses that there is a bridge that will connect with new consumers through new product lines under the Harley-Davidson brand. One way she knows how vintage fashion has taken over is through generational consumer habits.

Harley-Davidson has introduced a new line called “Authorized Vintage” that showcases rare H-D apparel, which carries captivating tales of adventure, rebellion, and the American Spirit. The collection is meticulously curated, with each item sourced, vetted, and certified by H-D’s historians, complete with certificates of authenticity. The latest release features sought-after pieces from the Champion x Harley-Davidson archives. Champion is an original American sportswear staple and has evolved into a cultural icon, embodying the same unwavering commitment to quality that Harley-Davidson represents. Explore this collection and other curated finds at hdcollections.com, where you can now shop the Champion x Harley Davidson collaboration.

Bullard explains, “Vintage is a chapter in our collections line on hdcollections.com. There are Originals and Vintage. There’s also Bar & Shield, and then – [seperately] – On The Roam, which we launched on [July] 11 with Jason Momoa as a collaboration.”

“So those four product lines – or chapters within collections are different. A different slant on the Harley Davidson story. HD originals are all about looking to the past. Going back to the graphic archives and word marks, modernizing the cut, the material, and the look of the garment. Using legitimate heritage graphics – I consider originals to be a bit of like sportswear for Harley Davidson you would wear every day.”

“‘Authorized’ Vintage is an interesting story. We’re taking that product, owning it, going into the marketplace, and buying back vintage products. HD collections ‘vintage’ is one of one product. You see a T-shirt you like only in one size because that is what we could get from the market. We tell the story behind that vintage product, and we also give you a certificate of authentication that is from the archives.”

“Bar & Shield is meant to be the tip of the spear in how far it’s trying to push the brand forward. It’s much more modern, highly intentional, [using] high-end leather, totally custom crafted. Our creative team deconstructed vintage products and then put them back together to make them even better for today’s fit. Vintage of the seventies is a different body type than bodies are today.

“He is a huge Harley-Davidson ambassador. He is a rider through and through and he worked really closely with our design team on his favorites,” Bullard concludes. “Then the design team took that really distressed the product, put it through the lens of Jason, the freedom and spirit, and Americana nostalgia.”

The sentiment of Harley-Davidson and the brand lives within examples like Momoa, which represents an authentic passion for the culture. “The On The Roam collection was born out of my love for Harley-Davidson,” said Jason Momoa. “In this collection, we honor 120 years of Harley-Davidson, embracing the adventure, empowering us to write our own story- the freedom to wander in the wild and live in the moments.”