With the 90s trend still bubbling strong, it makes perfect sense for one of the brands that defined the decade on the fashion front, Schott, founded in New York in 1913, to be making a UK comeback.
Its ‘CWU’ bomber jackets – with the branded Velcro chest patch – literally flew out of stores like American Classics in London during the early to mid 90s. As did its leather and wool peacoats, café racer leather jackets, 184SM cowhide leather A-2 flying jackets with detachable fur collar and zip-out lining, and its iconic ‘Perfecto’ leather biker style, which was allegedly worn by Marlon Brando in cult 50s film ‘The Wild One’. That’s not to forget its B-3 sheepskin leather flying jacket or the brand’s varsity/baseball styles.
But why did the brand pull out of the UK market, and what is driving its return for AW24? Bruno Dauman, the Chief Exective of Groupe JAJ, European license holder for Schott since 1988, tells us all about it.
Why did Schott previously pull out of the UK market?
Following Brexit, we had to restructure our approach to the UK market due to rising shipping and import costs. We needed to re-evaluate and implement a more cost-effective business method, which involved streamlining our operation.
So, how has that been achieved? What is different now compared to when Brexit first came into play?
By changing our distribution process from an agency to an exclusive distributor, Kippered, which will import and take customer deliveries directly in the UK. We also took the decision to work with trusted London PR agency, Rich London. We’re confident that this approach, with these trusted partners, will drive consumer awareness and ultimately help the brand’s visibility in the UK among stockists and consumers.
What is Schott’s current standing in Europe and is AW24 the brand’s first full season back in the UK?
The brand has continued to elevate and remain in high demand in Europe, but AW24 will indeed be our first full season back in the UK. We are returning with a strong collection of classic ‘CWU’ bombers and a mix of our classic badged and branded leathers that will fulfil the ongoing 90s trends here. Being very style driven, the UK has always shown an appreciation for Schott, plus we’ve missed the UK!
What are the key styles you are pushing for AW24?
Our main hero products for the UK are our nylon bombers, leather varsity/baseball jackets, peacoats, and our ‘Perfecto’ and leather flying jackets – all iconic styles that we are bringing back to the UK consumer this season.
What is the retail landscape for independent menswear stores in the UK in 2024? Are there enough good ones left?
There are still enough good independent stores at different tiers out there and we have something unique to offer them. Due to the unsettled market and a lot of store closures and pressure to reach sales targets – forcing more markdown by the likes of Frasers Group etc. – we want to let the market settle before we widen our distribution.
Our approach is to focus on key independents, as they will always be the backbone of the brand. That is something Kippered has always worked towards. The agency is 30 years old this year.
Kippered has actually had a great start on the UK stockist front for AW24, with independents such as Son of a Stag in Shoreditch, Stuarts London, Cooshti in Bristol, The Union Project in Cheltenham, Heroes in Richmond, The R Store in Manchester, Javelin in Bury St Edmunds and The Modern Draper in Beverley, East Yorkshire set to sell Schott for the new season. Mr Porter and Fenwick have also come on board.
How do you currently view the UK market overall?
When everyone stops fighting for the sale of the same products from the same brands, by discounting and not making their margin, we’d like to see more stores that actively sell new and exciting products and brands, not just from Schott, but new brands. Stores are waiting for other retailers to establish the brands in the marketplace, and when they become bigger and more well known, then they jump on board.
The plan for us is to build the brand correctly. We are looking at a long-term strategy of being in the marketplace for a considerable time, so it’s about finding the right partners and stores to grow with. We’d like to think we have something to appeal to all tiers and categories of stores, if managed correctly overtime.
Is there also other apparel aside from outerwear?
Yes, the range from Schott EU and US is huge, covering all categories of products, but Kippered is editing the range to suit the current market and relaunch. It feels buyers are buying a brand for the best it represents, so we are pushing what’s right for the trend and the market right now. We are looking to offer all categories, but outerwear is the main focus. We are also focusing very closely on the womenswear market, as we see a big opportunity there – especially with Schott’s iconic leather styles.
How are you approaching the women’s market then?
We are pretty much mirroring the men’s offer on leather options, as they are all relevant, but we are focussing on smaller size runs of some of the most popular men’s styles. So, styles like the sheepskin flight jackets, sheepskin coats, leather bomber jackets, the classic ‘Perfecto’ and baseball styles. We’re promoting them as unisex.
We haven’t sold into any specifically womenswear focused stores, but we’ve had some meetings pitching for the future. As 2024 seems the best year to stand still for some retailers, with regard to buying in new brands, it’s more of a long game with any women’s specific styles.
Can you see sales hitting the highs as they did in the UK in the 90s for Schott?
We definitely do. There is huge potential for all categories due to our rich heritage and how big it actually was in the UK, especially in the 90s. Kippered have had some great meetings and, as I’ve said, we’ve got some good stores on board. I think we would have had even more pick up for AW24 had the market not been as unsettled, but we are in no rush to chase volume. We are simply looking to work with the right partners, with a segmented range for different categories of stores.
In general, any brand that has experienced a high like that (as Schott did in the 90s in the UK) and is still operating, has the opportunity to realign with trends as they circle back around and reap the rewards. With over 100 years of iconic styles that have all had their moments with subcultures, Schott has an ever revolving collection to offer the market. Both agencies (Kippered and Rich London) specialise in launching or relaunching brands into the UK market. Rich London is known very well for re-introducing brands like Champion, Fila and True Religion back into the UK, so we are very excited for what is to come.
How important is ‘Made in the USA’ to the brand and perceptions of it globally?
Our premium ‘Made in the USA’ collection, still made in the original New Jersey factory, continues to impress with its heavyweight craftsmanship. The USA was where it all began, so an appreciation for the ‘Made in the USA’ jackets certainly remains.
What is a brief history of the brand and is it still owned and run by the Schott family?
Schott NYC was originally established in 1913 by Irving and Jack Schott in a basement in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, producing raincoats under the original name, Schott Bros. Two years later, the outerwear developed into a top line range of sheepskin lined jackets, and our staple ‘Perfecto’ jacket was born. A jacket that has remained in our collection for over 100 years and continues to be recognised as one of the finest ‘Made in the USA’ leather jackets ever created. Our ‘Perfecto’ developed into the world’s first leather biker jacket, a style that has stood the test of time in the global fashion world. Having been worn by icons such as Marlon Brando and Debbie Harry, it soon became a punk rock status symbol – with The Ramones through to current music icons Jay Z, Stormzy and Drake.
Irving Schott produced our first bomber jacket for the US Army Air Corps in WWII, halting production of the ‘Perfecto’ line while the company focused on producing sheepskin bomber jackets, leather flight jackets and peacoats to meet the increased demand from the US military. The classic B-3 leather bomber jacket with fur lining remains a core design inspiration, and the current ‘LC1259 Bomber’ jacket is a modern take on this.
Schott NYC has always kept it in the family, from Irving’s son, Mel, to Michael Schott, who took over the reigns as company President in the mid 80s, through to the current Chief Operating Officer and forth generation, Jason Schott. In the US, the brand is very much still run by the Schott family, with Roz Schott as the Chairman of the company.
I think what is key is that design innovation has always remained central to our product. Schott was the first brand to put a zipper on a jacket, not many people know we started that!
What are the retail prices these days?
Prices for jackets start at £185 and go up to £1,500 for our iconic ‘Made in USA’ styles. Nylon bombers are £185, some leather jackets are priced at £350, and our sheepskins are £900 upwards. There’s no one with the heritage in leather jackets that Schott has, and all our pricing remains accessible.
What I will add is that heritage outerwear is always present in the market, so the purist fashionistas love the brand too, but the collection is so diverse and full of quality that there’s always something for everyone.
