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1830 Seersucker The lightweight summer fabric of puckered cotton, or seersucker, is made available for the first time in America and introduced in frock coats. The most ideal type of warm weather clothing, seersucker is hailed as a great clothing innovation. 1845 Ready-Made Suits Brooks introduces the first ready-to-wear suits in America. Pioneers of the 1849 California Gold Rush, unable to wait on the whims of a tailor, flock to Brooks to pick up ready-made clothing. 1865 Abraham Lincoln's Legendary Coat At his second inauguration, President Abraham Lincoln wears a magnificent coat specially crafted for him by Brooks Brothers. Hand stitched into the coat's lining is an intricate design featuring an eagle and the inscription, "One Country, One Destiny." Sadly, it was also this coat Lincoln was wearing when he was assassinated on that fateful evening at Ford's Theater. 1890 The Silk Foulard Necktie Brooks Senior Partner, Francis G. Lloyd visits England and returns with the silk Foulard necktie, which is quickly adopted into American wardrobes. 1895 The Sack Suit Brooks introduces The No. One sack suit. Regarded as the first genuinely American suit, and designed to fit all body types, the suit offers soft natural shoulders, a single-breasted jacket, and full, plain-front trousers. 1896 The Button-Down Polo Collar Shirt John Brooks, grandson of the founder, makes fashion history by introducing the button-down polo collar shirt. His design inspiration comes after attending an English polo match where he observes the players' shirts secured with buttons to keep them from flapping in the wind. The shirt becomes an instant success and soon one of the best selling Brooks Brothers items. 1904 The Shetland Sweater The shetland sweater is introduced to the Brooks collection. Originally hand-made by peasants of the Shetland Islands, the process is refined by Brooks Brothers and is soon to become an American classic. 1910 The Polo Coat The English polo coat is introduced to the U.S. by Brooks. Originally white with pearl buttons, it is later offered in grey and the classic camel hair. By the 1930's, more polo coats are being worn by the students at Miss Porter's School than at any boys' prep school. 1920 The Repp Tie Brooks introduces the diagonal repp tie. Fashioned after British regimental or club ties, Brooks Americanizes this soon-to-be classic neckwear by reversing the direction of the stripes. 1920 Madras Another fashion first, Brooks introduces Indian madras to the United States, with offerings in jackets, trousers, and beachwear for men. 1930 Light-Weight Summer Suits The first ready-to-wear summer suits made of cotton corduroy and seersucker are introduced, becoming very popular during the Depression. 1930 Three-Button Suits The three-button suit is introduced and becomes one of the store's most popular suit styles. 1938 Colored Shetland Sweaters Shetland sweaters are now offered in 27 new colors. Prep schoolgirls are soon raiding their father's and brother's closets. 1949 The Pink Shirt For Women Brooks finally devotes a small corner of the store to a women's department. Vogue Magazine features the pink button-down shirt for women, creating an overnight fashion sensation. 1949 Argyle Socks Brooks' president John Clark Wood discovers argyle when he notices a golfer wearing a pair of strikingly patterned, hand-knit socks. Mr. Wood borrows the pattern to become the first American retailer to manufacture argyle hose. 1950 The Brooks Boxer Brooks introduces its soon-to-be famous cotton boxer shorts. Cut with a supremely comfortable one-piece back, the boxers are made from the same fine imported cotton used in dress shirts. Prior to this time, men's undergarments were made from wool or silk. 1953 Wash & Wear Brooks pioneers Wash & Wear suits with the advent of BrooksWear, a blend of Dacron and polyester. It is first used in oxford shirts and later in suits and sportswear. 1961 The Two-Button Suit A quintessentially American look, the two-button single-breasted suit, is unveiled by Brooks. After John F. Kennedy wears the suit at his presidential inauguration, it soon becomes de rigueur business attire worldwide. 1963 Brooks Brothers Toiletries The company's first men's fragrance and toiletries line is introduced. 1963 BrooksEase, The Ultimate Travel Suit An ingenious technological innovation, the BrooksEase suit, made of an all-wool worsted double-stretch fabric, is introduced. 1968 150 Years And The No. Three Suit Brooks celebrates 150 years of business and introduces The No. Three suit with slightly squarer shoulders, definite waist accentuation, subtle flair, and a deeper center vent. 1971 Brooks Brothers Begins Expansion Brooks begins an expansion plan of at least two new stores each year, opening new stores in Scarsdale, Cincinnati, St. Louis, and Houston. 1972 BrooksKnit Following the success of BrooksEase, BrooksKnit is introduced -- a modernization in knitted worsted wool. 1976 Brooksgate Brooks introduces a new department, Brooksgate, featuring tailored clothing designed especially for the young executive. 1979 Brooks Brothers Japan Brooks Brothers opens its first stores in Japan, spreading classic American style across continents. 1980 Preppy Style Revival Brooks enjoys the revival of the preppy style, selling more shetland sweaters and button-down Polo collar shirts than ever before. 1982 Four New Stores a Year Brooks announces an expansion plan to open four new stores a year. 1992 The Wardrobe Collection Brooks unveils the Wardrobe Suit Collection, an innovation in choice and fit in tailored clothing, allowing men to select a suit by individual jacket and waist measurements. 1994 Soft Classics With the increasing popularity of Business Casual, Brooks relaxes its look with a new and innovative collection of men's tailored clothing, Soft Classics. The collection includes suits, sportcoats, trousers, shirts, and ties inspired by the elegant detail and design of traditional tailored clothing with the comfort and casual attitude of sportswear. 1995 The BrooksEase Wardrobe Collection First introduced over 30 years ago, BrooksEase, the "ultimate stretch travel suit," is highly refined and offered for the first time in Wardrobe Suit separates and the classic navy blazer. The collection also includes poplin, flannel and formal wear. 1998 Men's Grooming And Fragrance Collection Brooks introduces a new signature men's grooming and fragrance collection for men. 1998 The Brooks Jazz CD Collection Brooks introduces the first of a series of jazz CDs, which quickly become one of the store's best selling items. 1998 BrooksEase Shirt Brooks introduces the BrooksEase cotton dress shirt, which is recognized by Good Housekeeping's "Good Buy" award. The pure cotton shirts are treated with a unique formula so they remain virtually wrinkle-free 2001 BrooksStorm Brooks introduces a new men's outerwear collection, BrooksStorm. Crafted from 100% of the finest wools, the collection features overcoats, car coats, and trenchcoats for men that are both water and wind resistant. 2001 Digital Tailoring First and exclusively at Brooks Brothers, Digital Tailoring - an innovative body scanning technology that allows the customer to customize men's suits, sport coats, trousers, and dress shirts - is introduced. The result is great fitting custom-made clothing, precisely tailored to fit the body's unique contours and specific proportions. |
