Schott Leather Jacket

No other apparell could claim to be as entwined to American history as Schott leather jackets. Not only did this brand become part of the American culture, it also played a great part in protecting American pilots during the World War II.

It all started when two sons of a Russian immigrant began producing raincoats in 1913. Irving and Jack Schott made their raincoats in a basement in Manhattan. Their raincoats were sold by peddlers door to door in the beginning.

After only two short years, the brothers' small enterprise grew and they started manufacturing leather jackets in Staten Island in New York. The leather jackets were named after the Perfecto - Irving's favorite brand of cigar.

Babe Ruth and Al Capone were making the news in the mid 1920's and Schott was also being talked about. They're the ones to first use zippers on a jacket.

This is the spirit of innovation that proved useful in future successes of Schott. The motorcycle was just gaining popularity then. It was 1928 and Harley Davidson is still four decades to producing their own leather jackets, when Schotts produced the first ever motorcycle leather jacket.

The Perfecto soon became a symbol of freedom, excitement and adventure for this new generation of bikers.

When World War II broke, the US Army Air Corp asked Schott to design and produce what became known as "bomber jackets". These tough leather jackets that kept the US soldiers warm were made of leather and wool and was supplied by Schott to the US Army for 60 years.

With the rise of popular culture, the Schott Perfecto also became more well known. The young Marlon Brando's image wearing his Schott Perfecto while riding a motorcycle will forever be etched in America's collective conscious. James Dean was almost never seen without his Schott Perfecto.

Today, Schott Leather Jackets are still considered the pinnacle of fine leather jackets.