Schott goes after the Restoration Hardware crowd

[Mojo1975]

Mojo, what do you do if a customer's jacket doesn't fit, yet you don't have another size in stock for him to exchange it with?

One of three things, depending on what the customer prefers. We get them in another similar style jacket from a premium maker (this is good as sometimes an Aero, for example, simply isn't a good fit on certain body types), we place an order for the correct size with that particular maker, or we refund.

 

[pjstrass]

Wade..do you have a Vanson B in 48 for today sale 25% off....$405 shipped ? Thanks. P. Strassberger

 

[ButteMT61]

One of three things, depending on what the customer prefers. We get them in another similar style jacket from a premium maker (this is good as sometimes an Aero, for example, simply isn't a good fit on certain body types), we place an order for the correct size with that particular maker, or we refund.

Sorry, forgot this thread. Have to look at the site - not sure I'm in the market for a Schott or Vanson, but let me look...

 

[Tell Kathy I Love Her]

One of three things, depending on what the customer prefers. We get them in another similar style jacket from a premium maker (this is good as sometimes an Aero, for example, simply isn't a good fit on certain body types), we place an order for the correct size with that particular maker, or we refund.

That's a great customer policy, thanks for the help. ( Going to the Insurrection site now.)

 

[JoeNiblick]

FYI:
The brown version is already sold out in most sizes... And it's not on clearance yet (although they are offering 20% off until 1/9/12). I'm saving my clam shells for bigger and better things.

 

[Graemsay]

Just bumping this up. The jackets are now on sale at $449.

They have the following stock:

• Brown: S, L, XL, XXL.
• Black: M, L, XL

 

[Hammer Down]

So far, I've tried on five different Schotts and owned two. The 641HH is great if you have the body for it: thick torso, short arms, and between 5"8-5"10. It was VERY well made in EVERY respect. As for the other jackets I've tried by Schott. . . . not so impressive, IMHO.

This jacket being discussed in the thread here has a design that reminds me of the 654 that I tried on. The armpits were really tight and seemed oddly angled. Built for really skinny people, I think. Beanpoles.

Another thing that makes the jacket less expensive to make is the open cuff zippers.

Schott is VERY well connected to the media of this country. It's an understatement to say that the Schott family has some heavy duty business connections that started long ago when it was located down on the lower east side of Manhattos, along with other merchants in the same neighborhood that used insider clubs and networking to beat the competition, often at the expense of quality.

Personally, I am not impressed by that sort of thing. A good, consistent and well made jacket should be advertising enough without promos through other corporations, or being featured on the front page of Esquire or GQ a few times per year.

 

[Hammer Down]

I am eager to try on a Perfecto soon, one of Schott's biggest claims to fame. I'm sure the biker style perfecto is up there with the quality of a 641, which really blew me away, if, alas, it had fit my body type.

I suspect the Perfecto might also have short arms, but I am still interested in giving one a try. Langlitz also makes a great jacket of similar design.

 

[Wesley Milton Dagwell]

I like the look of those board games they sell, but do they have to actually label them "vintage edition?" Doesn't that rather detract from point of the thing?

 

[Edward]

So far, I've tried on five different Schotts and owned two. The 641HH is great if you have the body for it: thick torso, short arms, and between 5"8-5"10. It was VERY well made in EVERY respect. As for the other jackets I've tried by Schott. . . . not so impressive, IMHO.

This jacket being discussed in the thread here has a design that reminds me of the 654 that I tried on. The armpits were really tight and seemed oddly angled. Built for really skinny people, I think. Beanpoles.

lol Certainly not every jacket design is cut for every body. I know I'm about as pot bellied as it is possible to be and still get away with an Aero Thirties Halfbelt.

Another thing that makes the jacket less expensive to make is the open cuff zippers.

Makes sense. Actually, that's one of the details I really like. Less practical on a bike, I'm sure (the zipped cuff being designed originally not to let air in, but to tighten the cuff to keep cold air out when riding at speed), but I like to look of it. Irvins had that too, of course - probably to save money / resources / time in production.

Schott is VERY well connected to the media of this country. It's an understatement to say that the Schott family has some heavy duty business connections that started long ago when it was located down on the lower east side of Manhattos, along with other merchants in the same neighborhood that used insider clubs and networking to beat the competition, often at the expense of quality.

Interesting allegation - based on...? (I'm not defending anyone here, just curious - not heard this before.

Personally, I am not impressed by that sort of thing. A good, consistent and well made jacket should be advertising enough without promos through other corporations, or being featured on the front page of Esquire or GQ a few times per year.

In an ideal world, I agree. Sadly, though, we're dealing with a label culture now where the brand, once a signifier of product origin and therefore a guarantor of a certain level of quality, has become the desirable thing in itself. It's hard for any company that wants to go beyond a very niche market to succeed without playing the game.

Interesting to hear your views on the quality of the Schott you tried on, though. I'm considering a Perfecto myself, as per my thread the other week. It does seem that Schott have a wide range of jackets in a range of prices... the best do sound to be very good.

 

[dajiggalo]

I think Schott makes a great jacket... maybe not as polished as Lost Worlds (Schott horsehide seems a bit more "plastic" in intial feel), but good quality nonetheless, especially at its price point. I've owned both the 689H and the 641H. I will say that the sizing and fit varies between the models... For example, the 689H runs 1 size big. I have a 40-41" chest (Marine Corps told me I was a 42) but i had to size down to a 38, which was perfect. The 641 however, due to its construction felt roomier in the chest area and I had to size down to a 36. I will add that I typically prefer a snug fit and I cinch in the side straps all the way. If I were you, contact Gail at Schott with your measurements (they are open to customization by the way). Purchase a jacket, try it on, and send it back if you need a different size. Sure, you will lose some money on shipping, but if you're going to make such a large purchase, it is well worth it!
Vanson, although they don't deal in horsehide (which is a Fedora Lounge staple), makes very solid jackets. I owned a Mercury in frienze leather (very lightweight, no break-in required), which fit very true-to-size (I wore a 42). They're customer service was very easy to deal with too. I can't comment on their customization though.
Aero, well, you can find plenty of threads about them. I've had a pretty positive experience (especially considering they were located overseas) when I ordered my A-1 (true to size) but ultimately sold it on eBay... not because of quality, but I was sticking with the cafe racer type jackets for personal use. I will also add that they are very open to customization, which is their biggest plus. great leather quality too!
Lost Worlds easy rider, in brown horsehide, is my current jacket... I love it! Attention to detail is amazing. Sizing is slightly generous, but the fit will vary between the models (my easy rider is a 38, but a 39-40 maybe a better choice). Horsehide is excellent, not as stiff as Schott, but takes some break-in. Dealing with Stuart though... uhhh... well, he's a character (just read his jacket descriptions!). Once you get over his personality, you'll realize he makes a helluva product if you have the loot. I've had fairly good dealings with him, but for a custom job, better be prepared to wait!

 

[Hammer Down]

Hi Edward:

It was nice to hear from you.

From Schott's Website:

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.

Go to "news" "as seen in" on Schott's website to see a taste of the company's connections.

 

[Hammer Down]

Did Schott make the "first" leather motorcycle jacket in the world or the first one sold by Schott? I seriously doubt Schott designed the very first leather motorcycle jacket sold by a company.

The zipper claim has been around a long time. It might be true, or it might not. Schott makes some great jackets, but Schott designers and machinists are not the best in their field, nor are Schott jackets the most expensive.

As for the company's business networking skills, and its owners' ability to make the "right" friends in the publishing business, Schott is hard to beat in this regard.

Plato spoke about the "fashion industry" in The Republic. It's an ancient term, and he spoke about it as a way to manipulate the mass public's consciousness, along with plays that had compulsory attendance required for slaves as well as nobles. Such plays used heroes, heroines, conflict, violence, and an outcome designed to bring about a certain kind of conclusion that could be used to help sway the peoples' views about national policy matters.

Today, the media and the fashion industry serve the same masters. So, it seems, does Schott.

 

[Chi-Town Co]

Might be a silly question but I've never owned an unlined jacket.. do you see the stitch marks from the sewed on label on the back of the jacket?

 

[AngryNJ]

Might be a silly question but I've never owned an unlined jacket.. do you see the stitch marks from the sewed on label on the back of the jacket?

Yes, you see the stitching in the inside. You see the canvas pockets also. It looks basically like a jacket that got its lining torn out.

 

[mattp]

I think he meant from the back, and the answer is unfortunately yes, the stitching is through the outer (and only) layer of leather so it's visible from the back. Another factor that added up to being a deal breaker for me.

 

[Edward]

I think Schott makes a great jacket... maybe not as polished as Lost Worlds (Schott horsehide seems a bit more "plastic" in intial feel), but good quality nonetheless, especially at its price point. I've owned both the 689H and the 641H. I will say that the sizing and fit varies between the models... For example, the 689H runs 1 size big. I have a 40-41" chest (Marine Corps told me I was a 42) but i had to size down to a 38, which was perfect. The 641 however, due to its construction felt roomier in the chest area and I had to size down to a 36. I will add that I typically prefer a snug fit and I cinch in the side straps all the way. If I were you, contact Gail at Schott with your measurements (they are open to customization by the way). Purchase a jacket, try it on, and send it back if you need a different size. Sure, you will lose some money on shipping, but if you're going to make such a large purchase, it is well worth it!

Schott seem to be a good option at a certain price point. That's why I'm looking at them for a Perfecto style to replace the Aero I have (bought used, particular cut it too tight on my waistline. If you can believe it, it's a neater waist band than a Thirties Halfbelt!). Basically, I know it'll get less wear than some other jackets so I don't want to spend as much as an Aero, but I don't want to buy something cheap either (now I'vw gotten the expensive leather bug), so the mid-price point of a Schott seems like a good deal. That I can go try one on half a mile from my flat and buy it there and then if I like is also a big attractant!

Lost Worlds easy rider, in brown horsehide, is my current jacket... I love it! Attention to detail is amazing. Sizing is slightly generous, but the fit will vary between the models (my easy rider is a 38, but a 39-40 maybe a better choice). Horsehide is excellent, not as stiff as Schott, but takes some break-in. Dealing with Stuart though... uhhh... well, he's a character (just read his jacket descriptions!). Once you get over his personality, you'll realize he makes a helluva product if you have the loot. I've had fairly good dealings with him, but for a custom job, better be prepared to wait!

Undoubtedly Stuart makes great stuff. I've never been bothered to deal with him with Aero and ELC so much closer, and the service level so much better, but I do own a Lost world B3 I bought used and I truly can't fault the quality of the product. I guess he sells enough that he's happy with how things go currently, but I do find it really bizarre for someone to make such a deal of trashing what surely has to be a substantial chunk of his own target market.... that and all the nonsense about being "manly". I've long been of the belief that anyone obsessed with being "manly", doing the "manly" thing all the time is highly unlikely ever to be so.

Did Schott make the "first" leather motorcycle jacket in the world or the first one sold by Schott? I seriously doubt Schott designed the very first leather motorcycle jacket sold by a company.

The zipper claim has been around a long time. It might be true, or it might not. Schott makes some great jackets, but Schott designers and machinists are not the best in their field, nor are Schott jackets the most expensive.

As for the company's business networking skills, and its owners' ability to make the "right" friends in the publishing business, Schott is hard to beat in this regard.

Plato spoke about the "fashion industry" in The Republic. It's an ancient term, and he spoke about it as a way to manipulate the mass public's consciousness, along with plays that had compulsory attendance required for slaves as well as nobles. Such plays used heroes, heroines, conflict, violence, and an outcome designed to bring about a certain kind of conclusion that could be used to help sway the peoples' views about national policy matters.

Today, the media and the fashion industry serve the same masters. So, it seems, does Schott.

Eh, well. That's the way of the world - yay capitalism. I'm open-minded re Schott's claim to have made the first purpose-designed leather motorcycle jacket. In the timeframe of the company, and with the date of production of the early Perfecto, it certainly seems plausible, even if there is an equal absence of evidence to back up their story as there is for any other claim. Probably plenty of other leather jackets being used by bikers of the day already, but obviously somebody has to have been the first to market a jacket specifically for that purpose.

As to dear Plato... definitely a far sighted man, and among his recorded thoughts the truism that "there is nothing new under the sun" is certainly writ large.

I think he meant from the back, and the answer is unfortunately yes, the stitching is through the outer (and only) layer of leather so it's visible from the back. Another factor that added up to being a deal breaker for me.

 

[Chi-Town Co]

I think he meant from the back, and the answer is unfortunately yes, the stitching is through the outer (and only) layer of leather so it's visible from the back. Another factor that added up to being a deal breaker for me.

Yes, I did.. I suspected you could see the outline of the label on the outside of the jacket.. not sure that appeals to me at all.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

What doesn't appeal to me (at all) would be trying to wrestle around with a clingy nappy unlined jacket.. struggling to put it on..or take it off. Is the appeal simply because this is somehow a unique 'feature'?

 

[AngryNJ]

What doesn't appeal to me (at all) would be trying to wrestle around with a clingy nappy unlined jacket.. struggling to put it on..or take it off. Is the appeal simply because this is somehow a unique 'feature'?

From what I have read and what schott told me, they designed this jacket as a copy of the owner of restoration hardwares personal jacket. I have seen similar "racing shirts" that are unlined on himel brothers website. Apparently these style jackets were unlined to keep the wearer cooler.