Schott NYC

The story of Schott NYC manufactory company starts back in 1913 when two brothers, sons of a Russian immigrant, went after their piece of the American Dream. 

Irving and Jack Schott started making raincoats in a basement on the lower east side of Manhattan and they sold them door to door.

The leather jackets branded with the name of their favourite cigars, The Perfecto, were made out of horsehide, had a belted front, D-pocket, flap change pocket, zippered sleeve cuffs and shoulder epaulettes. This classic motorcycle jacket was a double riders jacket design which meant that one part of the front zipper was located a couple of inches in. When zipped-up, this created a seal where no air would pass through when riding a motorcycle.

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.

 During WWII, the Schott brothers commissioned by the US air-force started producing "bomber jackets" for aviators and the famous "naval pea coat" for soldiers on deck. These leather and wool jackets would be produced by Schott for the US Military for the next 60 years.

After the war, thanks to the cult movie ‘The wild One’ (1954), with Marlon Brando wearing his Schott Perfecto, the brand acquired what would have made it iconic and recognized worldwide. The subsequent spike in popularity of the Perfecto surprisingly resulted in decreased sales. The jackets were banned by school systems around the country because they symbolized within the teen demographic the hoodlum’s image. Did not last long because one year later, the Perfecto was catapulted to the height of its popularity when love for speed ended the life of the quintessential hoodlum. 

Ever since the popularity of the brand never decreased.

During the 70s and 80s, the brand was synonymous with the underground and punk movement, and the jackets were worn by the most influential icons, The Ramones, Blondie, Joan Jett, Elvis and the Sex Pistol to name just a few.

In 2013 Schott NYC celebrated its 100th anniversary and it is still owned and run by the Schott family, who still manufactures most of their clothing in the United States.