Badass Women in Biker Jackets
By Allison P Davis
In 1929, brothers Irving and Jack Schott, the sons of Russian immigrants, created the first biker jacket, which they called the Perfecto. Inititally made for utility purposes, it quickly came to stand for all things cool, rebellious, and edgy. On the backs of men like James Dean and Marlon Brando, the simple moto — with its cropped waist, peaked collar, belt, and hardware — became the calling card of an untamed spirit. But it was women who turned it into a fashion staple. From the 1960s, when Yves Saint Laurent sent a crocodile version down the Dior runway, to modern versions by Rick Owens and Saint Laurent, the biker jacket has become a symbol of rebellion.
See below for 6 of our favorite bombshells in motorcycle jackets. For all 25 badass fashion icons, click through to The Cut.
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Photo: Chris Walter/Getty Images
Debbie Harry, 1977
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Photo: Lynn Goldsmith/Corbis
Patti Smith, 1976
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Photo: 2011 Keith Hamshere
Grace Jones in the James Bond film A View to Kill, 1984
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Photo: NBC/Getty Images
Elizabeth Taylor on The Tonight Show, 1992
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Photo: Jason LaVeris/2013 Jason LaVeris
Miley Cyrus, 2013
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Photo: Ron Galella, Ltd./Getty Images
Kate Moss with Johnny Depp, 1994
To see the rest of our 25 badass babes in biker jackets, head over to The Cut.
