A Willis & Geiger bush poplin safari jacket, estimated from the 1990s.
Made in Hong Kong.
Willis & Geiger was founded in 1902 by Arctic explorer Ben Willis, establishing itself as a serious outdoor brand rooted in expedition heritage.
When safari travel became fashionable among America's upper classes in the 1930s, Willis & Geiger was among the first to develop proper safari clothing for the market.
The company undertook OEM production for Abercrombie & Fitch, the luxury hunting outfitter also stocked here, and crafted pilot jackets for the U.S. military—testament to their uncompromising production standards.
The piece presented here exemplifies Willis & Geiger's mastery: a safari jacket executed in their proprietary cotton bush poplin.
It carries the hallmark details of their legendary "White Hunter Field Jacket"—a silhouette that defined the category.
A rarity in the current market.
The abundance of pockets speaks to its intended purpose: a garment conceived for those who live in the field, not merely visit it.
Woven from high-density cotton—340 threads per inch of doubled-ply yarn—the bush poplin was engineered for durability and performance. Quick-drying, breathable, with inherent water resistance: qualities born from years spent designing for wilderness conditions.
Function and form are inseparable here. Both equally essential to its enduring appeal.
The bush poplin Willis & Geiger developed became the standard fabric for outdoor brands to follow. Brooks Brothers and L.L.Bean would adopt it—a measure of its foundational importance.
This example runs large in cut, with an extended length that reads more as a half-coat than a traditional jacket—a proportion that rewards those who understand how to wear an oversized garment with intention.
The condition is clean, free of notable wear or damage.
It remains ready for use.
Willis & Geiger has become increasingly difficult to source in recent years. There is genuine demand.
Pieces like this are seldom encountered. Worth considering if you've been searching.
