A Yiddish loanword used in the garment industry to refer to a piece of clothing, a rag, or the apparel business as a whole. When applied to a specific garment, it usually implies the item is of low quality, worn out, or unfashionable. In a broader sense, veterans use it affectionately or cynically to describe the fashion trade itself.
Heard on the job
I'm not wearing that cheap shmatte to the gala, it looks like it came from a discount bin.
Insider tip
Hearing an older tailor refer to the entire fashion industry as the shmatte business is a classic sign of a garment district veteran.
Also heard as
- schmatte