Five Questions for Jason Schott

February 13, 2013

Irving Schott started off making fur-lined raincoats door to door in the Lower East Side of New York City, and has since supplied jackets from everyone from the U.S. Military and NYPD to Barney's and Bloomingdale's. But the company is perhaps best known for its classic asymmetrical motorcycle jacket, first made famous by Marlon Brando in the 1953 cult classic, "The Wild One." The outlaw movie created such popular hysteria that the jacket worn by Brando's was actually banned from public schools for a time. The rebel icon known as The Perfecto has been adopted by a long line of celebrities and rockstars. But now what? [caption id="attachment_95" align="alignnone" width="636"]

Schott celebrates 100 years of making motorcycle jackets in the New York City metro area[/caption]

Union Garage: How long has Schott been making its classic asymmetrical motorcycle jacket, and how has the design changed in that time? (IE: making multiple variants, including women's, etc)

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Word has it you get out on a motorcycle yourself from time to timewhat's your jacket of choice when out on the bike?

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The Schott brand has evolved into a much more than just a motorcycle jacket company over the last century. How important is Schott's motorcycle heritage to the brand's identity, and roughly how much of the product line is bona-fide motorcycle gear, versus fashion? And how do you draw that line?

Motorcycling is currently experiencing a definite resurgence in this country, and plenty of these new riderswhether they're on a modern bike, a vintage machine or a custom cafe racer creation somewhere in betweengravitate towards the heritage and craftsmanship that comes with every Schott jacket. But not everyone can pull off a Perfecto. What's the modern-day equivalent of the Perfecto for the latest generation of motorcycle riders?

Each Schott motorcycle jacket found at Union Garage comes out of this New Jersey factory[/caption]

What can motorcycle-riding Schott fans expect to see from the company over the next 100 years?

Bonus Round: In order to sell a jacket in Europe as a piece of motorcycle gear it must meet certain impact and abrasion tests. Schott's cowhide and horsehide would easily pass the abrasion tests, but has there ever been discussion of building in pockets to slip in CE-certified shoulder and elbow armor?

Five Questions for Jason Schott

Union Garage: How long has Schott been making its classic asymmetrical motorcycle jacket, and how has the design changed in that time? (IE: making multiple variants, including women's, etc)

Word has it you get out on a motorcycle yourself from time to timewhat's your jacket of choice when out on the bike?

The Schott brand has evolved into a much more than just a motorcycle jacket company over the last century. How important is Schott's motorcycle heritage to the brand's identity, and roughly how much of the product line is bona-fide motorcycle gear, versus fashion? And how do you draw that line?

What can motorcycle-riding Schott fans expect to see from the company over the next 100 years?

Word has it you get out on a motorcycle yourself from time to timewhat's your jacket of choice when out on the bike?