This is the new Schott NYC x The Bikeriders Jacket, it was developed as a collaborative effort between Schott and Erin Benach, the costume designer from the 2024 film The Bikeriders, starring Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Michael Shannon, and Norman Reedus.
Schott NYC (originally known as Schott Bros) is an American company that was founded in 1913 by brothers Irving and Jack Schott. The firm is best-known for their jacket designs, they’re said to have been the first to have put a zipper on a jacket, and they pioneered the design of the Perfecto which become the de facto motorcycle jacket, even being worn by Marlon Brando in The Wild One (1953).
The Bikeriders is a 2024 feature film that follows the story of the Vandals MC, an outlaw motorcycle club founded in Chicago. Image courtesy of Universal Pictures.
The best-known of the Schott jackets is the aforementioned Perfecto, it made its debut in 1928 with a distinctive design by Irving Schott. He chose the name Perfecto after his favorite cigar type, featuring a closed base and a bulging midsection which tapers out toward the tip.
The Perfecto was originally made from horsehide rather than cowhide leather, and it had a belted front, a D-pocket, zippered cuffs, and shoulder epaulettes. It was broadly adopted by motorcyclists as the front zipper held the jacket closed far more securely than buttons, and the horsehide leather was highly abrasion resistant which helped in accidents.
As a result of this popularity with motorcyclists the Perfecto would be immortalized by Brando in The Wild One, but it was also used extensively in other motorcycle films, particularly those with a motorcycle gang theme. The US punk rock band The Ramones would later adopt the Perfecto as a key part of their distinctive look.
The Bikeriders
The Bikeriders was filmed in 2023 and was intended for release in that year, but the release would be pushed back to June of 2024 due to the SAG-AFTRA strike that was ongoing at the time. The film is set in the 1960s, and follows the story of the Vandals MC, an outlaw motorcycle club founded in Chicago.
As a result of the era in which it was filmed, and the motorcycle outlaw subject matter, Schott jackets played a major role, which led to the New York apparel company partnering with costume designer Erin Benach to create a limited edition jacket inspired by the D-pocket leather jacket worn by The Vandals motorcycle club leader Johnny in the film (played by Tom Hardy).
The Schott NYC x The Bikeriders Jacket was designed after the D-pocket leather jacket worn by The Vandals motorcycle club leader Johnny in the film (played by Tom Hardy).
The jacket is strictly limited to just 100 pieces, and it comes in sizes from S through to 2XL, and there’s a sizing guide on the store page to ensure you get the right fit first time. The jacket is made from heavyweight pebbled cowhide, it has a 24″ back length, a classic iridescent burgundy rainglow lining, a D-pocket front, and a 1950s inspired elongated conmar front zip.
Images courtesy of Schott NYC
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