History of the Schott Leather Motorcycle Jacket

By: SchottNYC.com


Every Schott leather jacket is made in the USA. Each comes with a 90 year history of the great American dream. Over 90 years, four Schott generations and the love of open spaces and open roads. This history has spanned one King, two world wars, 22 presidents and numerous skirmishes. We've learned to leave our troubles behind and hit the road with the wind in our face.

The Mode T was rolling out in 1913 and the streets becoming crowded in New York City. At this time two Russian immigrants, brothers, came up with an idea and went after their piece of the big dream. Jack and Irving Schott began making raincoats and sold them door to door all over New York City.

By the mid-twenties, while Babe Ruth and Al Capone were making headlines for breaking records and breaking laws, Schott NYC was making headlines of its own by revolutionizing the way we dress for the outdoors when they were the first to put a zipper on a jacket.

With innovation at his heart and a burgeoning desire to succeed Irving then set his sights on leather, leather motorcycle jackets to be specific. Our society was changing, we were looking at the open road and the motorcycle with romantic dreams. In 1928 the Schott Brothers produced the first leather motorcycle jacket. The original price was $5.50! Wow, how times have changed! They named it the "Perfecto" and it is still made today. This durable and rugged jacket was quickly made into a cult fashion statement that exists to this day. A new generation of "bikers" were making a statement and the Schott leather motorcycle jacket was the lead spokesman.

Soon the country would be thrust into a World War and the Schott brother would be commissioned by the US Air Force to produce what became the "bomber jacket" out of leather. The leather was an asset to keep the wind away from our soldiers bodies, and kept them warm at the high altitudes they flew at. Below, on the decks of the ships, servicemen utilized the Schott leather pea coats, and wool pea coats, to keep the chill of the open sea from reaching down to their bones.

After WWII the American Dream turned towards motorcycles and stars rose to the call. James Dean, Marlon Brando and others came into the limelight and they all wore Schott leather jackets. Remember the movie "The Wild Ones" ... who could forget?

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 continues their motorcycle heritage expanding into sunglasses, bags, nylons and wools at their 100 year old factory in the New York City area.

Four generations of Schott's thank you for appreciating our quality leather products and our passion for the motorcycle jacket.

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SchottNYC.com, first to put a zipper on a jacket, has made leather motorcycle jackets since 1928.
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