Founded in 1913 by brothers Irving and Jack Schott in NYC, the company’s first product was a raincoat which they peddled door to door. By the mid-1920s, Schott was credited with being the first brand to put a zipper on a jacket. It had to start sometime right?
In 1928, Irving Schott designed and produced the first motorcycle jacket which retailed for $5.50 at a Long Island Harley Davidson distributor. Christening it the Perfecto (allegedly after his favorite cigar), the Perfecto is from a time when form followed function,. Rather than zip-up the middle of the front, this jacket zips off-center at an angle, and over a placket so as not to let the wind in while on the bike.
During World War II, Schott was contracted by the US Navy to make the classic 10 Button Pea Coat, Made from thick melton wool and featuring robust fastenings, wide cuffs, and large lapels, the Pea Coat was a fundamental utilitarian jacket that would become some of Schott’s calling cards.
Post-war, arguably the biggest thing to happen to leather jackets was a 1953 movie called The Wild One in which Marlon Brando, playing the rebellious leader of a biker gang, wears a ‘One Star’ later jacket made by Durable. Though this piece was not manufactured by Schott, Brando’s immortalized the leather double rider jacket, a style that Schott already championed with its Perfecto jacket.
Fast forward to the current day and Schott is still firmly rooted in the pantheon of classic American brands. And with the growth of heritage wear, the brand is being introduced for the first time to a whole new generation of wearers. As well as its archetypal utilitarian jacket styles, Schott makes a range of time-honored clothing like wool overshirts, sweaters, as well as biker wear, and casual t-shirts.
Recently celebrating its 100 year anniversary in 2013, the brand has no plans of slowing down as they work towards the next hundred. After all this time, the company remains a family affair with the third and fourth generations of the Schott family still owning and running the show. And if this wasn’t enough of a feat, they have managed to keep most of their manufacturing in the United States.
According to heddels.com. Source of photos: internet
