A question for the moderator

[Alex1974]

I was watching a UK news program yesterday and was pleasantly surprised by a news story about "urban climber" Alain Robert, the so-called "French Spiderman" famous for scaling the Eiffel Tower, the Sydney Opera House, the Golden Gate Bridge and numerous other landmarks around the world.  In this story, he was wearing a black leather jacket with "Mellencamp" emblazoned across the back and down his left sleeve.  I then googled him and found this Blog, with photos of him wearing a similar (red) leather jacket with "Mellencamp" emblazoned across the back:

http://www.danhimbrechts.com/blog/2009/06/french-climber-alain-robert-appears-in.html

Given that one does not hear Mellencamp's music much on UK television or radio these days, or come across references to him in popular media here all that often, I found this story rather tantalizing.  Robert is something of a celebrity in France and, I am guessing, a John Mellencamp fan.  His jacket is great and I am curious about its history.

Does anyone know anything about Robert's interest in "Mellencamp" and/or the history of his jacket?

Alex

[TonyBClubManager]

I was watching a UK news program yesterday and was pleasantly surprised by a news story about "urban climber" Alain Robert, the so-called "French Spiderman" famous for scaling the Eiffel Tower, the Sydney Opera House, the Golden Gate Bridge and numerous other landmarks around the world.  In this story, he was wearing a black leather jacket with "Mellencamp" emblazoned across the back and down his left sleeve.  I then googled him and found this Blog, with photos of him wearing a similar (red) leather jacket with "Mellencamp" emblazoned across the back:

http://www.danhimbrechts.com/blog/2009/06/french-climber-alain-robert-appears-in.html

Given that one does not hear Mellencamp's music much on UK television or radio these days, or come across references to him in popular media here all that often, I found this story rather tantalizing.  Robert is something of a celebrity in France and, I am guessing, a John Mellencamp fan.  His jacket is great and I am curious about its history.

Does anyone know anything about Robert's interest in "Mellencamp" and/or the history of his jacket?

Alex

My understanding is that there is a handbag company in New Zealand that is named Mellencamp. It's very possible they made this jacket, it's not something made by John. The jacket was new to us and John's team.

[Alex1974]

Thanks for this, Tony.  Just looked up "Mellencamp Carrywear" in New Zealand ... they look more like a retail outlet for bags and fashionware rather than a 'label' as such.  They don't have their own website, in any event. 

I thought the Alain Robert "Mellencamp" jacket looked custom-made for hom (it certainly did not look like any of the Mellencamp jackets I have ever seen through this website or on ebay) but it was still a rather odd image, given the unusualness of the name and the fact he did not have his own name emblazoned on the jacket. 

Still, I would like to think this counts as a pseudo-"Mellenmoment" ... :-)