Why are all the Schott jackets on eBay and grails from Japan?

[Boris.mtdv]

Hi guys. I’m in the market for a leather jacket and have been eyeing Schott. In the process I noticed almost all of the jackets on eBay and grailed come from Japan. Does anyone know why that is and why it’s so hard to find Schott jackets in Europe? I mean the ones made in the USA, not the knock offs. Any pointers would be much appreciated.

 

[jchance]

Look on Vinted for jackets in Europe, they use a different platform for the local Europeans.

Schott from JP on eBay is due to reposters of Yahoo Japan and Mercari (JP). The market for used leather jackets isn’t as big in the US as is in Japan.

 

[rain113]

Thanks I'll check Vinted, since I am new in Europe right now!

 

[Will Zach]

Japanese have been buying vintage US jackets for years and shipping them to Japan in containers. Same with denim.

 

[LeatherHunter]

I am US based and I always use the filter on eBay to cut out International items. I assume your screen would give you similar options if you want to drill down to your continent.

 

[Peter Mackin]

Thanks I'll check Vinted, since I am new in Europe right now!

Vinted worked a treat for me in Scotland..

 

[JohannesClimacus]

Japan also has hella style, and a particular appreciation for Americana-inspired fashion - which leather jackets certainly fall under. It's not just the vintage stuff eaither - modern Japanese brands take a lot of cues from old American style. A huge chunk of my casualwear wardrobe is Japanese. There are a few good books on the topic, including a popular one called "how japan saved american style."

 

[Cyber Lip]

could be they have the same problem we have when we buy Japanese jackets...measurements look good on paper, but when we get them they don't fit our bodies

 

[Edward]

The US, even with import charges, used to be a much cheaper source of these than anywhere in Europe, but in the last three or four years postage charges from the US on eBay have made an awful lot of things impractical to buy in the UK - not least given customs here include declared shipping charges when calculating VAT and import tax. That said, I've bought a few Saddleback pieces from the US in the last year, and in all cases saved quite a bit on what I might have been taxed on by paying the EU global shipped with tax upfront included rate. I don't know quite how it works, but weirdly it often seems to be slightly cheaper for me than "only" shipping from eBay.

As to the UK, bottom line I think there are just far fewer US Schotts being sold here now. In 2010, you could buy a 618 for about £500; adjusting for inflation, that would be about £780 today. Both London stockists are currently charging a decent carry out for two over £1,400 for one. The price difference is in part down to Schott's prices rising, and in part down to the value of the pound remaining historically low for the last decade. Add in that - nice as Schotts are - there are just so many other options for a jacket in this style (many of them significantly cheaper), and that "Made in USA" isn't, as a rule, something that UK consumers perceive as an "added value", and you can begin to see why there might be fewer of them sold. Fewer sold new means fewer hitting the used market....

They are out there, though. I keep half an eye on the market in these. Bought both of mine used on eBay, from UK sellers. eBay seems to average them at anywhere between £350 and £500, depending on condition and size. Of course a newer 118 or 618 in a bigger size will tend to sell for more than an 80s model in shabby condition. They do turn up, though. Main thing to be careful about is measurements. Schott changed the cuts and sizing of the 118 and the 618 a little over the years. Best as I can see, mid-90 onwards seems consistent. Careful on the sizing in general, though: in my experience Schotts are usually about two sizes smaller in reality than anything else I've owned, i.e. a 46 618 feels more like a 42 in just about any other brand I've encountered. Best as I can make out, Schott's size numbers are based on the size of the jacket itself rather than the chest size of the person whom it is intended to fit.