History of the Schott Leather Motorcycle Jacket

Made in the USA, each Schott NYC jacket comes with a story that has been written over the course of 90 years, four generations of Schotts, two world wars, 22 presidents, one King, and an American love affair with hitting the open road with the wind in your face and your troubles behind you.

In 1913, as Ford's new Model T began to crowd the already bustling streets of New York City, two brothers, the sons of a Russian immigrant, went after their piece of the American Dream. Irving and Jack Schott starting making raincoats in a basement on the Lower East Side of Manhattan which were then sold by street peddlers door to door.

In the 1920s when Al Capone and The Yankees famous Babe Ruth were filling the news with their antics and records, the Schott brothers were changing fashion and defining a new American style. It was at this time that the first zipper was put onto a jacket. It was the Schott brothers who brought us the zipper jacket that we all know so well today.

Eager to innovate, it was no surprise that Irving Schott then set his sights on another American classic in the making - the motorcycle. In 1928, nearly 40 years before Harley Davidson would create their own, Irving Schott designed and produced the first leather motorcycle jacket. Retailing for $5.50 at a Long Island Harley Davidson distributor, the Perfecto was durable, rugged, and immediately embraced. To this new generation of "bikers," the Perfecto was a symbol of the excitement, adventure and danger that fueled their fascination with motorcycles.

But as the country and the world turned its attention overseas, so did Schott. Commissioned by the US Air Force at the start of WWII, Irving Schott designed and produced a "bomber jacket" that would serve and protect Our Boys as they fought for liberty in the air over Europe and the Pacific. And on deck, servicemen kept out the cold with Schott's classic melton wool naval pea coat. Rugged and warm, these leather and wool jackets would be produced by Schott for the US Military for the next 60 years.

With WWII over and the threat of communism put in check by MacArthur in Korea, this country was witnessing the rise of a new rebellion - one that would be fought with fast cars and Rock and Roll. In 1954, the now cult classic "The Wild Ones" featured the hot young actor, Marlon Brando, perched on his motorcycle wearing his Schott Perfecto. The subsequent spike in popularity of the Perfecto surprisingly resulted in decreased sales. The jackets were actually banned by school systems around the country because they symbolized a burgeoning teen demographic, the "hood".

In the past 50 years, Schott NYC has continued to grow under the leadership of new generations of our family. Product lines and styles have expanded, nylons and wools have grown in popularity, accessories from bags to sunglasses can be found worldwide. But at the core of our business still lies the 100 year old factory right of outside of NYC.

Schott NYC is dedicated to the ideas of quality, individuality and the American spirit. We will remain in our hearts the American dream and want every person who buys a Schott leather jacket to realize and enjoy the quality we promote.

For four generations the Schott family has produced quality leather products. We thank you for helping us keep a bit of American history alive and well.