This season we're proud to welcome back Schott NYC to our brand lineup. Schott's legacy & heritage is a true-blue, real-deal, piece of Americana. Born out of New York, since their founding their iconic designs have become woven into the fabric of American culture, symbolizing the working class. Check out a brief history behind the brand & their iconic Bomber jackets below.
In 1913, as Ford's Model T began filling New York City's busy streets, two brothers, the sons of a Russian immigrant, set out to chase the American Dream. Irving and Jack Schott started making raincoats in a Lower East Side basement, which were sold door to door by street vendors. Irving named his leather jackets after his favourite cigarãthe Perfecto. By the mid-1920s, Schott NYC was changing the outdoor apparel scene by being the first to add a zipper to a jacket.
Always driven by innovation, Irving turned his attention to the rising motorcycle culture, and in 1928, he designed and produced the first leather motorcycle jacket. Priced at $5.50 and sold through a Long Island Harley Davidson dealer, the Perfecto quickly became a symbol of durability and toughness, embraced by bikers as a representation of the thrill, adventure, and danger that motorcycles embodied.
As the nation and the world shifted focus to the global stage during WWII, Schott followed suit. Commissioned by the US Air Force, Irving Schott designed and manufactured the iconic "bomber jacket" to protect and serve airmen as they fought for freedom in the skies over Europe and the Pacific. Meanwhile, sailors relied on Schott's classic melton wool naval pea coat to stay warm on deck. Durable and insulating, these leather and wool jackets became essential gear, with Schott producing them for the US Military for the next 60 years.
Schott NYC MA-1 Bomber Jacket
The MA-1 jacket, designed with a short knit collar and bright orange lining for signaling rescue teams, was crafted for the tight spaces of Jet Age cockpits. Its nylon shell and practical design allowed pilots to enter and exit quickly. Issued to U.S. Air Force pilots in sage green and to Navy pilots in midnight blue, the jacket included a polyester interlining, a reversible zipper closure, a sleeve pocket with pen slots, knit cuffs, and snap-down side pockets, making it both functional and versatile for military use.
The MA-1 flight jacket, much like the A-2, M-65, and N-1, has outgrown its military roots to become a beloved staple in men's fashion. Its distinctive puffy nylon design has been a symbol of youth culture for generations, appearing on city streets worldwide. While its look is iconic today, the jacket originally evolved from heavier leather and cotton predecessors with a purely functional purpose.
Now Schott's iconic Bomber returns to our collection with all the famous bells & whistles. Cut in a 90's inspired fit and the use of recycled nylon as the outer fabric of the bomber, the collection still features the instantly recognisable inside orange lining sported by the militaries fighter pilots back in WWII.
Shop our full Schott NYC collection below, available online & in-store now at Stuarts London.