My last post on Evel Kneivel really got me thinking about motorcycles and their impact on American fashion and culture. There is no better example than the Schott Perfecto 618. First introduced in 1928– and still made here in the U.S.A.–it is the original motorcycle jacket and still considered the gold standard to which all others are compared. The now classic double riders zip-front design was prized by bikers not just for it’s tough looks- when fully zipped it kept the wind and chill out.
Marlon Brando as Johnny, leader of the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club in The Wild One.
The Perfecto took on cult status thanks to 1953’s The Wild One starring Marlon Brando. It soon became a symbol of rebellion and was widely banned from schools during the 1950s. The vintage Perfectos (and a lot of the motorcycle jackets back then) were made of thick horsehide– durable as all hell, but they took some breaking in. If you’re lucky enough to find a vintage Perfecto, snatch it up- they are rare and highly coveted.
Marlon Brando during filming of The Wild One.
The Selvedge Yard 
There is a reason it’s called the perfecto. Often immitated, never duplicated. Nice post.
Pingback: 13 Rebels MC | Marlon’s “The Wild One” Motorcycle Gang Inspiration « The Selvedge Yard