New Modern Classic...Brooks Brothers Spring 2011 Preview

Brooks Brothers
Spring 2011
Preview by Take Ivy!

I know, fall is here and you’re eagerly breaking out the woolens. No one could be happier than me, as I get to spend my first autumn in New York.

But apparel brands are always working well in advance, so I need you to temporarily shift your brain back into warm-weather mode and have a look at Brooks Brothers‘ offerings for next spring, as recently previewed in the showroom above the Madison Avenue flagship store.

Brooks will continue its “collegiate” collection, drawing on a Spring Break theme:

All fashion ends in excess. Bruce Boyer says he remembers that during the buckle-back khakis trend circa 1956, he remembers buckles added to everything — including the heels of white bucks!

Likewise, at the Brooks preview there were signs that the Go-To-Hell wing of the PITA revival may be entering its decadent phase, with design exhaustion the next inevitable step. (That’s when the pendulum swings back to simplicity and understatement.) Patch-madras shirts (above, left) were emblazoned with tiki embroideries, while emblematic trousers (below, right) now feature four separate panels of different critters:

Yet despite these touches of baroque extravagance, there were also signs of subtle refinement. This Fitzgerald jacket has a softer shoulder, said a Brooks spokesperson. Also, in a styling gesture reminiscent of Brooks circa 1980, a wildly patterned jacket is paired with a plain oxford button-down and knit tie. Partial lining on sportcoats will also make a return next spring:

Indeed, there was certainly no fear of color:

There was also a strong sailing theme. Nautical, but nice:

We’ll end on a more subdued note, with this handsome Black Fleece briefcase. — CC

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