Irving and Jack Schott, sons of Russian immigrants, open a factory in the basement of a tenement building on Manhattan's Lower East Side where they cut raincoats to be sold door-to-door. They name their company Schott Bros.

The outerwear line had grown beyond raincoats. In honor of his favorite Cuban cigar, Irving deemed that the top of the line leather and sheepskin lined jackets would carry the brand name Perfecto^®. For almost 100 years, the Perfecto^® has been recognized to be among the finest 'made in the USA' leather jackets built.

Schott brothers Irving and Jack become the maker for a major Harley Davidson motorcycle distributor, called Beck. Beck publishes a nationwide dealer's catalog distributed to nearly every motorcycle shop in every state.

Schott makes headlines by changing the way we dress for the outdoors by being the first to put a zipper on a jacket.

Nearly 40 years before Harley Davidson would create their own, Irving Schott designs and produces the first modern leather motorcycle jacket. Retailing for $5.50 at a Long Island Harley Davidson distributor, the Perfecto^® is durable, rugged, and immediately embraced. To this new generation of "bikers", the Perfecto^® is a symbol of the excitement, adventure and danger that fuels their fascination with motorcycles.

In May the Schott Bros. shop opens
in South Amboy along with its state
of the art factory facility.

Pictured here is a Black horsehide "Perfecto^®"
jacket with brown leather trims, cotton plaid
lining, with ball and chain zipper pull.

Also pictured is an Early "Perfecto^®" label.

July 22nd Schott annual
company outing to
Coney Island. Pictured is Schott's original store at 96 East Broadway in New York City's Lower East Side.

Pictured left to rt.: a rare original box
with Perfecto^® logo, Beck's jacket built by Schott,
a Perfecto^® D-Pocket style " Model 333" jacket in dark brown
goatskin. This jacket first appeared in Beck's catalog in 1941
and was sold 'til the late 1940's. Beck's 1940's label for goatskin
jacket.

Schott even had something for the ladies. Pictured is a Schott Perfecto^® Lady's Jacket in Chestnut Horsehide, a Perfecto^® Label and a page from Beck News in 1941.

Commissioned by the US Army Air Corps at the start of WWII, Irving Schott produces a "bomber jacket" that would serve and protect "Our Boys" as they fight for liberty in the air over Europe and the Pacific. Production of civilian leather jackets including the motorcycle jackets is put on hold as the factory devotes it's entire capacity to making sheepskin bomber jackets, leather flight jackets and peacoats to meet the increased demand for US Military jackets.

Pictured is General George S. Patton wearing a classic B-3 jacket similar to the current Schott style 257S.

Famous Tuskegee Airmen wearing Schott leather flight jackets during a 332nd fighter briefing. Irving's son, Mel Schott serves in Iwo Jima, receives a purple heart for getting shot and injured in the line of duty. He spends the next year recuperating in a hospital in Hawaii.

Mel Schott returns from war, gets his college degree in two years, marries his sweetheart and joins his father's business.

Pictured above: an early horsehide "One Star" style 613 Perfecto^® assymetrical leather motorcycle jacket with a Conmar zipper, Sheepskin lined.

Schott Bros. hits the big screen when
the Perfecto^® One Star jacket is featured
in the cult movie, The Wild Ones, starring
Marlon Brando. Johnny, the leader of
the Black Rebels Motorcyle club is forever immortalized in his Pefecto One Star as the icon of the counter culture. Pictured: Marlon Brando in Perfecto^® Model 613 "One Star"

The Perfecto^® is catapulted to the height of its popularity when a love for speed ends the life of the quintessential "American Bad Boy". It is said that James Dean could hardly be seen without his Perfecto^®. The black leather jacket becomes synonymous with "The Rebel" and is banned from high schools across the country.

Early 1960's: Stores carrying the 613 One Star experience increased theft of the stars off the epaulets. Schott Bros introduce the 618 style, identical in design without the stars to curb the sticky finger problem. Pictured is an old black "Perfecto^®" tag, and
Steerhide leather motorcycle jacket with
black quilt lining.

Schott Bros. late 1960's Model 618 "One
Star" with old black "Perfecto^®" tag.
Steerhide leather motorcycle jacket with black quilt
lining.

Late 1960's: Teen rebellion takes a new twist, and peace and love define the "hippie" movement. Schott Bros. lead fashion's foray into the style with the introduction of leather and suede fringed vests and jackets. Irving and Mel Schott see an untapped opportunity, purchase a state of the art fringe machine, and the 316 fringe leather jacket becomes one of the best selling styles of the 60s.

Peter Fonda wears a Cafe Racer style jacket in the movie Easy Rider. The Caf? Racer becomes one of Schott Brothers most popular styles.

Schott Bros. 1970's cover and advertisement from Schott Catalog.

Schott Bros. 1970's black label. Neck label is square, in black with Schott in white curly letters above an orange and yellow coat of arms (lion and unicorn on the sides with an "S" in the middle).

The greatest innovator of the motorcycle jacket, Irving Schott (1892-1991), in an old facility in Perth Amboy, NJ.

Mel's son, Michael Schott joins the company and leads production and product development.

The New York City music
scene changes forever when an unknown
band called The Ramones, play their first live
concert at the newly opened downtown club,
CBGB. "They were all wearing these black
leather jackets... They looked so striking.
These guys were not hippies. This was something completely new" describes Punk Magazine founder, Legs McNeil. These leather jackets were of course, the Schott Perfecto^®, which are thereby established as the symbol of punk rock.

Bruce Springsteen wears a Schott Perfecto^® on the cover of his Born to Run breakthrough album and becomes an icon for the middle-class working families of America.

Mel Schott recieves the American Designer Award from the Leather Industries of America.

Female Rock & Roll pioneer, Joan Jett didn't give a damn about her bad reputation and rocked a Schott Perfecto^® with her band the Blackhearts. Women everywhere emulate her tough look landing the Perfecto^® as a staple of 80s fashion.

Mel's Daughter, Roz Schott, joins the company, the current President of Schott Bros..

Michael Schott becomes President of the company. Pictured, Irving and Michael on the sewing floor.

Schott partnered with Kenny Rogers in developing a collection of outerwear at the
height of his career.
Pictured, Kenny
wearing the signature
fringe leather Schott
jacket and a label
from the collection.

Mel's son-in-law, Steve Colin, joins Schott Bros. and is the current Chief Executive Officer. Pictured here is Steve in the warehouse shortly after joining the company.

Schott Gang. Pictured from left to right: Irving, Roz, Mel, Steve Colin, Milty Perlman.

Through globalization, the Perfecto^® becomes a worldwide symbol for "American Cool". Japan and
France emerge as supporters and allies of
the brand where "Made in America" products
are the most coveted. Today Schott jackets
are sold on every corner of the world.

Schott taps a new music scene as the hip hop
culture comes into popularity. Oversized
colorful leather jackets line the streets of
New York.

Schott family photo at Irv's 99th birthday celebration. standing left to rt. Jason, Steve, Roz, Oren, & Milty Perlman. Seated left to rt. Mel, Irving, & Michael.

Schott billboard in Times Square.

The new millennium brings in the fourth generation of the Schott Family. Irving's great grandson Jason joins the company and is the current Chief Operating Officer. Pictured right is Jason in Great grandpa Irving's lap.

The Perfecto^® celebrates 75 years as America's signature bad boy uniform. Schott N.Y.C. releases a limited edition replica Perfecto^® of the original D pocket horsehide style designed in 1928.

Jeremy Scott, an American designer known for his high octane and outrageous designs
favored by pop stars and celebrities, collaborates with Schott N.Y.C.. The Perfecto^®
becomes a canvas for his signature bold
prints. Stars like Rihanna, Lady Gaga,
Katy Perry and Alica Keys step out in the
limited edition pieces which include artwork
by the late artist Keith Haring.

Schott N.Y.C. store opens in Paris located
at 5, Place des Innocents, Paris, 1-er, France.

Schott N.Y.C. creates a collection of jackets for Barney's New York, a luxury department store, and invents a method of
creating new jackets to look like
their 75 year old counterparts.

Schott N.Y.C. store opens in
Tokyo Japan located at 6-23-1
Jingu-mae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo.

The Perfecto^® once again is defining a new era. Featured on superstars like Jay-Z on the cover of Interview Magazine and Blake Lively on the cover of Esquire Magazine in the newly released and designed Perfecto^® with a woman's fit. Perhaps most impressively, Spin Magazine uses the iconic Perfecto^® as the cover for its 25th Anniversary Issue defining rock and roll over the past several decades.

The third and fourth generations of the Schott family mark the company's 100th year in business. During the last century, Perfecto^® Brand has become an icon for rebellion, freedom and the rugged American spirit. Staying true to our founding principles and the evolving needs of our customers strongly secure Schott NYC's place in our next American century.

The Classic American Success Story

Schott's heritage is a true-blue, real-deal, piece of Americana. The iconic styles produced by hand for over 100 years have become infused in American culture and have served as battle flags for the American spirit.

In 1913, as Ford's new Model T began to crowd the already bustling streets of New York City, two brothers, the 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 which were then sold by street peddlers door to door. Irving Schott's leather jackets were lovingly branded with the name of his favorite cigar - the Perfecto. By the mid-twenties, Schott NYC was revolutionizing the way Americans dressed for the outdoors when they were the first to put a zipper on a jacket. Eager to innovate, it was no surprise that Irving Schott then set his sights on another American classic in the making - the motorcycle. In 1928, Irving Schott designed and produced the first leather motorcycle jacket. 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.

But as the country and the world turned its attention overseas, so did Schott. Commissioned by the US Air Force at the start of WWII, Irving Schott designed and produced a "bomber jacket" that would serve and protect Our Boys as they fought for liberty in the air over Europe and the Pacific. And on deck, servicemen kept out the cold with Schott's classic melton wool naval pea coat. Rugged and warm, these leather and wool jackets would be produced by Schott for the US Military
for the next 60 years.

With WWII over, this country was witnessing the rise of a new rebellion one that would be fought with fast cars and Rock and Roll. In 1954, the now cult classic "The Wild Ones" featured the hot young actor, Marlon Brando, perched on his motorcycle wearing his Schott Perfecto^®. 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 a burgeoning teen demographic, the hoodlum. Just one year later, the Perfecto^® was catapulted to the height of its popularity when a love for speed ended the life of the quintessential hoodlum. It is said that James Dean could hardly ever be seen without his Perfecto^®.

Throughout the 70s and 80s Schott became synonymous with the punk rock movement. The current wave of rebellion came to the streets of downtown New York City through underground music venue, CBGB. The Schott Perfecto^® was the uniform for rock stars like The Ramones, Blondie, Joan Jett and The Sex Pistols.

As the world grew smaller and international trade became common place through online shopping and global markets, Schott expanded overseas where "Made in America" was revered and coveted. Peacoats, Duffle coats, flight jackets, motorcycle jackets, nylon outerwear, knits and sportswear became available worldwide as Schott NYC represented the heritage of America and the rebel inside everyone.

2013 - Celebrating Schott's 100th Anniversary. As we celebrate our first hundred years, Schott NYC is still owned and run by the third and fourth generations of the Schott family who still manufacture most of their clothing in the United States. In an old brick building, the classic styles that have, and will continue to, connect with the American spirit are cut and sewn by the hands of trained craftspeople. There is a feeling with putting on a Perfecto^® that cannot be replicated or described. It is a persona, the history of America's bad boy, seeped into the heavy cowhide and chrome hardware. A strong sense of American pride is behind every Peacoat's anchor buttons. The courage to face the uncertainty on the open road and all the freedom that comes with it, lives on in the hearts of the Schott family as they look towards the next hundred years as a true American Original.