Schott for 3sixteen Drivers Jacket.
Photos: Vinny Picone
On Thursday, December 11th, we are proud to launch our 10th collaboration with esteemed leather jacket manufacturer Schott NYC. We list their superlatives out every single year because, for us, it never gets old to be able to work with the world’s most iconic leather jacket manufacturer. Best known for designing the Perfecto asymmetrical leather biker jacket, Schott has also earned their place in history with their military styles that eventually found their way into fashion settings. For this project, we are introducing a refined, dressier silhouette: the Drivers Jacket.
Featuring a standard collar and zip-front silhouette, the Drivers Jacket takes cues from leather blousons with some interesting design deviations. We especially love the stitched-in detailing on the front entry pockets; coupled with the beefy gunmetal double zip and the shank button cuffs, the jacket becomes versatile enough to pair with wool pleated trousers or your favorite thrashed jeans. We designed the silhouette to have relaxed armholes to allow it to layer easily over a chunky sweater or a hoodie on colder days.
The material choice for this special project is a unique “Soft Touch” horsehide from renowned Chicago-based tannery Horween Leathers. We’ve had a history of working with Horween on various projects spanning the past decade, and these leathers have typically found their way onto Schott projects. At this point, our ongoing work with Horween feels less like strict product development and more like continuing an old thread. When we approach Nick Horween to work on something new, we typically point back to a previous project to talk about what we loved about it or use it as a reference point for where we want to go. The archive has been growing over time, and we’re proud of what we’ve already accomplished over the years.
This particular leather was already developed by Horween, so it’s not unique to our project; in fact, Schott already employed it on a few Perfecto jackets in the past year. We were looking to develop a deerskin or lambskin that would be supple and soft to the touch, lending a nice drape to the jacket silhouette; but when we found Schott’s jacket using this leather, we knew that our search was over. There was no need to develop something new when this horsehide fit the bill perfectly. It’s got the proprietary Chromexcel tanning process that Horween is known for, but then goes through a second vegetable re-tanning with a generous infusion of Horween’s proprietary oil blend. Those oils settle deep into the fibers, adding strength and durability while giving the hide a pliable, lived-in feel. A final finish of waxes and aniline dyes brings out the natural grain and depth of the horsehide. The amount of work that has gone into this leather is frankly stunning. You’ll likely notice the hand of the leather first, but then, as you examine it up close, the complexity of the hide really shines.
The Schott for 3sixteen Drivers Jacket retails for $1300 and releases on Thursday, December 11th at noon ET on 3sixteen.com. You can also find them in-store via our NY & LA flagships on the same day.