Motorcycle Jackets... Bad to the Bone?

One of the biggest trends this fall is the return of the motorcycle jacket. I’ve seen plenty on the streets of New York, in promotional emails, and on the pages of magazines. I think it’s a great example of reappropriation and counter-bricolage. Most people don’t recognize the fact that motorcycle jackets were originally designed for the safety of the bike rider. I did a little research and this style jacket has been around since 1928. Schott NYC designed the jacket and distributed it through Harley Davidson. It quickly became an iconic “bad boy” symbol as made famous by Marlon Brando and James Dean. According to the Schott website, the jacket was banned by school districts in the 50s because it symbolized “the hood” teen demographic. I would bet what most people associate with the leather motorcycle jacket are images of Danny Zuko and the T-birds or the Ramones. Somehow over time, the motorcycle jacket has lost some of that association and has become mainstream. While wearing a leather jacket still has some of that tough guy quality, it has ultimately lost its status as a sign of rebellion. It has become a commodity and now you can buy one at Target, Express, or Forever21. A faux leather variety will cost you somewhere around $50 but an authentic, original Schott can run from around $250 all the way to $900.