Why Did Dean Winchester Stop Wearing His Signature Jacket In Supernatural S6?

As much as viewers appreciate their favorite TV shows for the plot, the writing quality, and the acting of the main characters, there is another detail that can easily ruin the experience, and that is the visuals.

From the on-set lighting and color-correcting techniques to the character’s wardrobe, hair, and makeup, every little detail has to be cautiously thought through, if you don’t want to end up with a ton of memes posed as H&M promotion campaigns (yes, Witcher, we’re looking at you).

That was also the point of concern for Supernatural ’s crew, who spent a lot of time thinking about the main character’s appearance, and how their clothing reflects who they are. Even prior to the first appearance of Misha Collins ’ Castiel in his staple beige trenchcoat, there was another iconic jacket present on set. It was part of Dean Winchester’s initial look.

According to the Supernatural lore, the jacket was inherited from the brothers’ father John, whom Dean was looking up to. Although the relationships between the Winchester patriarch and his sons were always quite rocky, Dean’s love and respect for him manifested through this piece of clothing for 5 seasons straight, until it suddenly disappeared in season 6.

Of course, fans noticed the absence of the jacket almost immediately and thought about how it might be linked with Dean’s character development. However, the story behind it was much simpler and way sadder than anyone imagined.

Reportedly, John Winchester's jacket went missing while the crew was moving some props and clothing from Vancouver to Los Angeles for a photo shoot. Although there is no confirmed information on what exactly happened, the jacket simply wasn't there when they arrived.

During the Q&A session at the Jus In Bello 4 convention, Jensen Ackles, who portrayed Dean Winchester, mentioned that the iconic leather jacket could have been stolen and jokingly recommended keeping an eye on eBay.

Unfortunately, the jacket was never found, so for the rest of the series Dean’s look had to change. If you want to revive the iconic outfit in your memory, you can go ahead and stream the early seasons of Supernatural on Netflix or MAX.