Normy,

You're right. A few years ago, for one of my birthdays, my wife bought me a leather jacket. It was made out of the softest leather you'd ever felt, with every stitch perfectly stitched, the zipper was smooth as glass. In short, it was a magnificent coat. It also cost over $900. However, our leather jacket is actually a work jacket, to be worn on trips where we may get it dirty or torn (s/o's and f/o's doing walkarounds, etc.) However, I'm sure the company would not at all mind your getting an "exact duplicate" made, at your expense, only this time, a duplicate made of good leather. Other guys have had clothing items made and I don't think anyone has been called on that. As for the zipper on your current jacket, can't you send it back to the manufacturer to be repaired? I wonder what the guarantee is anyway?