America’s oldest retailer, Brooks Brothers embarked on the celebration of its 200th anniversary with its first-ever show held in the famous Salone dei Cinquecento at Palazzo Vecchio where the runway was designed in the signature colors of the brand: navy blue and gold.
The show was a deliberately modern interpretation of Brooks Bothers iconic style celebrating the disrupter. Youthful and cool but with many classic elements the collection illustrates how relevant these items, some invented over 100 years ago, but still resonate.
Fifty-one models, 45 men’s and 8 women’s looks walked through live performance by 53 members of the Italian Philharmonic playing an arrangement of contemporary music, notably and a reference to Brooks Brothers’ New York origins, Empire State of Mind by Alicia Keys.
Women’s looks were mixed throughout the show. The women’s collection is by Zac Posen, Creative Director of Brooks Brothers Womenswear, who was in attendance and seated next to Chairman & CEO, Claudio Del Vecchio and his family.
The show’s looks included – suits which were sleek and sophisticated with some even tucked into the trousers; outerwear, an important category for Brooks Brothers as a leader in technical innovation, was shown simply over sweaters. The iconic camel polo coat was re-introduced and the navy blazer was shown in several combinations, a style more cool than collegiate; the Brooks Brothers iconic rep stripe tie was often worn like a belt in a reference to Fred Astaire, one of the brands famous customers.
Many outwear looks included technical and performance fabrics. A trench coat, was worn inside-out, highlighting its intricate construction. Women’s looks included an elegant tuxedo, a pajama set in burgundy silk satin and a chucky graphic sweater layered over a tweed jacket.
Read also: Brooks Brothers Spring/Summer 2017 Collections for Men and Women
