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Thom Browne for Brooks Brothers Black Fleece

 
 
 
 
 















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Thursday, March 22, 2007

Thom Browne for Brooks Brothers Black Fleece

I'm not saying anything but.....

Thom Browne for Brooks Brothers Fall 2007


Thom Browne Fall 2006


Grey Quilted Vest over grey suit Thom Browne for Brooks Brothers Fall 2007


Grey Quilted Vest over grey suit Thom Browne Fall 2006


I want to thank Style.com for the new photographs. For some reason I was not invited to the show.




Alright ladies!
Now you have a chance to weight in on the Thom Browne discussion.

I'm not saying anything...

What do you think?


posted by The Sartorialist at 7:51 PM

Comments on "Thom Browne for Brooks Brothers Black Fleece"

 

Blogger Kirsty said ... (7:57 PM) : 

It seems very unfeminine. The women that I see shopping at Brooks Brothers would pass over something cut so shapeless. And despite the conservative atmosphere, BB has always offered a color palette that provides flattering choices to women. Grey is lazy. This looks to me like the women's line was an afterthought.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (8:02 PM) : 

Thom Brown is a one trick pony. I think Brooks has the right idea with the designer line (Black Fleece, at least the picked a good name!) but the execution is not there. I'm saying this now - Michael Bastian is the next BB collabo - unless Hickey Freeman gets to him first. Other ideas are Barker Black for Alden and Rag and Bone for Oxxford. Just kidding about that last one. Oxxford doesn't need any help.

 

Blogger Tyler said ... (8:05 PM) : 

I haven't been too into Thom Browne men's lines...I feel like I've seen it all before and done better. He needs to innovate a bit and make it a bit more modern. He has potential to do amazing things for menswear, but he's not doing it yet.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (8:09 PM) : 

hm- so what you're not saying is that Thom Browne hasn't further developed- a fear you uttered some time ago, if I remember correctly.
Brooks Brothers becoming an outlet for last year's Thom-Browne-creations isn't that much of a design-achievement, actually. Is he gonna play his game for -let's say- 5 years and then try to change dramatically? Will he survive? Although I like the style---something has to happen !

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (8:10 PM) : 

I don't think (and it's no surprise) that Mr. Browne likes women very much. But, the overall effect onf his clothes on them is better than men. The women look bland. The men look ridiculous. Perhaps Mr. Browne should take some lessons in sleeve length (and then some) from Mr. Attolini.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (8:22 PM) : 

like the cape, but the rest is YAWN.

 

Blogger c.j. said ... (8:22 PM) : 

the top jacket is horrible. it looks like j. crew circa 1995. the grey shift with dropwaist is not so bad ,and i think the cape would work with a different underpinning....perhaps fitted black sheath? i'm fairly conservative sartorially (albeit not politically), and am a brooks brothers loyalist.....so that said....perhaps my opinion is skewed.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (8:33 PM) : 

Honestly, the first think I noticed was all the knobby knee action! I think the knee-high tights paired with the knee length shorts and skirt was a real misstep... it's all I can look at!

 

Blogger Ms. Merton said ... (8:36 PM) : 

MATRONLY, stuffy, unflattering, and ill-fitting are words that come to mind...

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (8:50 PM) : 

It's good that his name won't be on the label or the blatant knock offs of his own designs for half the price will cheapen it for all his exisiting and potential customers.
If I paid $5,000 for my suit, I don't want someone who paid $2,000 for theirs to be able to say that they're "wearing Thom Browne."

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (8:56 PM) : 

i love this collection. i'd wear this women's line any day...

 

Blogger The Spicers said ... (8:59 PM) : 

Wasn't it Halston who famously said that the ugliest part of a woman's body is her knees, and that he'd remove them if he could? I don't think the knee socks with knee length skirt look flatters anyone over 12. At least when Prada did knee socks this season, she left more of a gap between sock and skirt hem to elongate the legs and not just highlight the knees, which don't improve with age.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (9:04 PM) : 

i think it is important to look beyond the way it was styled in the show and more to what would work individually on oneself. the cape would look great with black thights and boots, the shift dress would look great with some flats. more importantly thoms stuff will look great on a young girl as on a more mature lady.
it is in a way irrelevant what the current brooks brothers customer thinks, they will still find what they are looking for. it is about getting a new clientele in the stores and they will come. BB sells all over the world, i believe that it will do very well in asia and europe, italy and the UK for example.
these are investment pieces that you can own for many years and keep on updating them with accessoires. they are not meant to be trendy.
i am convinced that the collection will do very well with press and editorial, it is already causing waves. and that is what BB needs more than sales, that company will always make money, being on the fashion map again is what matters to them.
i believe that anna wintour, who brokered the deal between brooks brothers and mr. browne will make sure that it will get the best possible exposure.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (9:14 PM) : 

I'm glad that someone else noticed the knees! Unless you have mile long legs, those long shorts are hard to pull off. These paired with the socks... yuck! If they make the models' knees look puffy, there isn't much hope for mine! :)

I actually think some of these peices are great, but not worn all at once.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (9:14 PM) : 

you were probably not invited to the show because you have had a bad attitude about thom for a while now.... seems like you are on a strictly personal mission here, like a rebuffed suitor. and you are not international press like forbes, wwd, NYtimes, etc.
you write a BLOG. nothing wrong with that, but get off your high horse.
i have a feeling you are burning bridges here. not the smartest way of handling your business.
if you have nothing nice to say, don't try and a smartass and hint and be all sly.

 

Blogger Karen G. Anderson said ... (9:19 PM) : 

Oh, great, now it's time for cosmetic surgery for our knees.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (9:31 PM) : 

The collection was really disappointing. I was really hoping to see Thom create something that brought the archives of Brook Brothers into a more contempory and modern area. Instead, as your pictures show, we got the same old-same old. The womens clothing is just plain dreadful.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (9:31 PM) : 

i remembered someone here said... GET OUT OF THE GREY ERA... that's all i have to say.

 

Blogger Butch said ... (9:53 PM) : 

I want all the guys' stuff--well, excluding the shorts....

Note the shape of the men's jackets: perfection: saucy and elegant.

Brooks knows what it's doing; TB will bring the brand forward. Younger guys will nibble around the edges of the TB look, then grow bolder. That's 'cause the clothes are sexy. And the rest of us will follow....

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (9:59 PM) : 

thom could possibly find himself very agreeable with the term 'if it's not broken, don't fix it.' which in regards to so many consumers who wish they were fashion savy enough to buy something they want before it actually disapears into the next seasons, (let's face it, your average shopper doesn't like something till it's come and gone) it's a dream come true.

but for fashion, that's really not the point now is it.

as for the womens line, while you did ask for womens opinion, i'll still say, thom doesn't mold a sexually desireable woman from the looks of it.

but for fashion, that's really not the point now is it.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (10:00 PM) : 

Call me crazy but I like it!

 

Blogger Jessica Quirk said ... (10:05 PM) : 

school marm.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (10:14 PM) : 

I’m sorry, but the first picture brings to mind an overgrown ring bearer. The Grey Quilted Vest over grey suit looks as if it has been designed specifically for a Monty Python remake. (Both pictures) I don’t know whether the ladies selections are better or worse. They are so non-descript there is nothing much to say. They neither invite praise nor caustic quips. The perfect attire when one strives for anonymity perhaps?

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (10:21 PM) : 

I love the man's suit that put TB on the map; the tautness across the chest and short pant leg are fantastic on the not-so-tall man. Not sure what I expected, but these ladies' looks recall early '90s Ann Taylor...

Coco Chanel always covered the knee.

I'd like to see a BB men's and women's collection by Dsquared. Or Viktor en Rolf.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (10:22 PM) : 

I thought the collaboration was a good idea; however, what's the point if the prices are going to be a lot higher than the normal BB prices. Might as well just spend an extra few hundred and get the real thing

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (10:26 PM) : 

If I paid $5,000 for my suit, I don't want someone who paid $2,000 for theirs to be able to say that they're "wearing Thom Browne.

And this is precisely what is wrong with 'fashion'.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (10:30 PM) : 

More of the same from Browne.

Yawn.

 

Blogger SartoriallyAddicted said ... (10:34 PM) : 

When Al Bazar and Cesare Attolini start selling Thom Browne cuts, then maybe I'll give it a try. Until then I could always use another great classic suit or sport jacket. So may swatches, so little time...

 

Blogger The Sartorialist said ... (10:36 PM) : 

To Anon 9:14
The great thing about the blog is that we can have a discussion about something like Thom's collection.

As long as the writer shows common respect they can agree or disagree with me as strongly as they want.

I think it is a testament to the importance of Thom's work that we even take the time to discuss it.

Now, I didn't really get from your comment what you thought of the collection.

 

Blogger SuMisura said ... (10:55 PM) : 

"you were probably not invited to the show because you have had a bad attitude about thom for a while now.... seems like you are on a strictly personal mission here...get off your high horse....if you have nothing nice to say, don't try and a smartass and hint and be all sly."

This is a jest is it not?

I didn't realize Thom Browne was above reproach here. I find it amusing how Browne has been elevated to an ecumenical status above his following. The Emperors New Clothes as it would appear - stay away from any tall buildings when Thom eventually disappear into the abyss of every other excessive and costume-y trend in sartorial history.

Thom's runway designs are out there for me and therefor I am not entirely drawn to the brand, however, I was hoping that the glimpses of slim flattering men's 60's business silhouettes are what he would take hold of and run with for the BB line, rather than these nonfunctional and totally inappropriate designs for the core BB customer.

I am still hopelessly optimistic about this partnership; I see in Thom's designs great vision with a distinct allure for that smart and refined men's patterns... but I have no idea what the hell this is supposed to be.

Good luck Thom.

 

Blogger The Vintagent said ... (11:01 PM) : 

Now that I've seen it, I realize that BB is the perfect match for Thom Browne; he can tweak The Suit, and give BB a bit of an edge, while staying firmly within a fairly conservative menswear shape.

I've never thought of Thom as a radical, or even a Great Designer per se, but I have some of his clothes because I appreciate how he creates a wearable, slightly twisted take on men's clothing. I don't want a typical Italian sport coat, it does nothing for me, but TB's best work is interesting and sly, and beautifully constructed.

I certainly don't like everything he does, but can't think of any designer who fits that bill... Vivienne Westwood comes close, but I hated the 'mud' and 'caveman' lines.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (11:04 PM) : 

don't like it, very boring!

 

Blogger sales girl said ... (11:07 PM) : 

i am not familiar with thom browne, in all honesty. so viewing these (the women's) as looks from brooks brothers, which, above all else, it is, i am extremely pleased. from brooks brothers, it's a pretty daring and amazing turn to take and i, sadly, don't think it will stick/last. if brooks brothers produced these types of looks/styles i would support shopping there (it doesn't suit my personal needs/lifestyle). i will venture into the store to see this in person. i would much rather see all the ladder-climbers and secretaries and such stomping up and down 5th ave. wearing some of these looks than the usual talbots fare, which BB has always been a little too close to for my taste.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (11:08 PM) : 

I love the knee-highs with those shoes!And the skirt, it just works, and works well. Although I'm not crazy about the cape...

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (11:17 PM) : 

I really have no idea about the answer to this questions:

What was he thinking??!!

(and "high horse" anonymous is so clearly jealous! you rock, sart!!!)

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (11:17 PM) : 

The work is beautiful Sart! Didn't you just repost some photos recently and vehemently defend them! When you start cutting and sewing stuff together from scratch instead of wielding a digital camera (not too difficult) I will hear ya loud and clear on this...Until then ...Thom Brownes gotta eat!!
- D

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (11:20 PM) : 

Re women's line: when we say "she would look good in a potato sac", we don't really mean that a potato sac is the best thing she could wear.

 

Blogger yanqin said ... (11:33 PM) : 

The styling is cooler than anything I've seen in any Brooks Brothers boutique. We have just two, I believe, in Singapore, and neither of them have ever persuaded me to step in with their window displays. I like the vaguely prim, awkward fit vibe and the cape rocks.

It looks like someone took a stab at being conservative but just couldn't keep up with it, which is funny for Brooks Brothers.

But - as Kristy said earlier - the collection looks like an afterthought - individually there's nothing wrong with the pieces, but it just lacks that design element.

I'm afraid I didn't really get the men's stuff, especially the first outfit with the knee shorts and the socks.

The quilted white blazer looked interesting but it's one of those things you want to see and feel in a store before you pass judgement.

While waiting for Thom Browne to come up with something more interesting - which I feel he's capable of - I'd really rather see more guys wear Cloak, or Narciso Rodriguez. Much cooler.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (11:52 PM) : 

Lame

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (11:54 PM) : 

As a guy who owns a couple of Brooks Brothers suits, if this new Thom Browne look becomes the predominant look for BB, then I'll no longer be a customer.

Sorry....he's interesting at times, but his trendiness and cutting edge designs are the antithesis of Brooks Brothers and their traditional styles. It's like they're trying to be Dolce & Gabbana or Prada all of a sudden. They need to embrace their inner preppie more.

 

Blogger cbwdeluxe1 said ... (12:07 AM) : 

you were probably not invited to the show because you have had a bad attitude about thom for a while now....
RUDE! Honest critisism is healthy and a designer can, or should at least deal with it and think about it. this show, and this blogs coverage of it and TB in general, points out a serious TB flaw. One trick ponyism, If this were done a significantly lower price point the i could see not putting a lot into it, but a $2,000 suit should have an original idea, or at least a fresh one. TB for target would be a fine venue for reruns, but not Black Fleece.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (1:05 AM) : 

Ooh the women's clothes are dreary and matronly. Not good at all.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (1:31 AM) : 

Great collection of photos on the whole blog. Love the 30/40s Italian classic wear. Its so much nostalgic to me.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (1:32 AM) : 

doesnt excite me like earlier browne collections, 2005, 2004...

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (2:00 AM) : 

sart should have a right to critique Thom Brown's collection like anyone else, especially if he has evidence to back up his claims- which he has duly provided with the photographs in this entry.

the womenswear looks very heavy and bland in my opinion- a young woman would be made to look too convservative, and it would just make an older lady look well.. old and weary.

-austgirl

p.s. sart your photos are great, i'm a big fan and i visit daily!

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (2:16 AM) : 

so strange that nobody has responded to what seems to be Sarto's point: that the TB/BB "2007" men's collection is _the same_ as the TB 2006 men's collection.


should designers progress - or change, anyway - from one year to the next?

does BB know they're paying TB for work he already had sitting around on his desk? and if so, are they happy with that?

is there any way knee socks could look anything other than truly heinous on a grown woman?



(no answers, just questions)

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (2:30 AM) : 

I'll have the cape thank ya very much...

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (2:44 AM) : 

what went awry for BB this season? the entire line seems boxy, even comical. Perhaps Browne's inspiration this year was a cardboard box. To me, the clothes have the allure of potato sacks. The models look insipid. The above-the-knee shorts and high boots draw attention to the knee caps- and as we all know, if the models can't pull it off; I'll be damned if we ever do.

 

Blogger Max said ... (2:55 AM) : 

At "significantly more than normal brooks brothers prices," I'll pass on full price, but I'd buy the gray puffer vest if it was less than $100 (which is not going to happen).

I think people who say Thom Browne is a one-trick pony are off the mark. Menswear itself is basically a one-trick pony; it's all just small adjustments to the fit of a very basic set of garments, so there isn't much you can do with it without veering into the ridiculous. I really don't think you'd see John Galliano menswear on the street. Thom Browne is significantly more wearable.

As I see it, Browne's just taking us full circle from the baggy, poorly-fitting late 90s men's silhouette and updating Brooks Brothers' fits for a younger customer.

If you're wondering if this will sell, look at Hickey from Hickey Freeman. They're doing basically the same thing with tight jackets and slimmed-down classics, albeit with slightly longer pants. They even poached the solid flannel ties from Browne.

 

Blogger thwany said ... (3:10 AM) : 

the men's collection looks great

 

Blogger dnqcnn said ... (3:30 AM) : 

i like the outfits the men are wearing but maybe its because i like the men who are wearing the outfits.. the womens collection is rather boring actually..

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (3:50 AM) : 

Thom Brown on a mission to undermine the beauty of women's legs? Looks like it.

Men's too (as an afterthought:)...

 

Blogger YFYF.org said ... (4:12 AM) : 

What if Mr Browne just doesn't want to design anything new? Maybe he really likes his current palette and style and that's basically it? He goes against the grain anyway, so why would one expect him to come up with something new every season like everyone else?

Maybe a different way to think about it is: in menswear we have the double breasted suit, the single breast two button, three button etc. Thom Browne has made his mark by introducing The Thom Browne. A new type of men's suit unto itself. In the same way that you'd go into Kilgour to get the house style one-button single breasted suit, you'd go to Thom Browne to get his very specific style. There are a lot of men who care a lot about their clothing who will do this. One of the things that really attracts me to my current tailor is if I wreck a suit, I know I can get a new one made in that style and all its subtleties all over again. Clothes aren't just consumable items, they can become things that are inherently part of you.

I'm not affiliated with Thom Browne anyway, just seems like a lot of people rag on him so I wanted to try and counterbalance.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (4:29 AM) : 

I have to say, Sart, I'm afraid I agree with Anon 9:14 PM. Sure, you've encouraged discussion about the line, but you've gone about it the wrong way. The "I'm not saying anything, but ..." says it all: you're expecting (and hoping for) negative comments. That's like saying, "I love you to pieces, but ..." - you know there's a negative coming.

You might also not have wanted to include, "I want to thank Style.com for the new photographs. For some reason I was not invited to the show." That just seems to imply that you have taken it way too personally. True class would have been to not mention it at all, and simply accredit the photos to Style.com - nothing more, nothing less. If all you wanted us to discuss were the attributes or failings of the collection, that little detail about not being invited was completely unnecessary and irrelevant.

In the interest of having an open discussion, I think your blog is fantastic and opens people's eyes to certain styles or brands that they would not have considered before. However, I hope not to see your blog go down the route of discrediting (or trying to discredit) designers who have injured your pride in one way or another.

As to the collection, I think the white blazer in the first picture is ill-fitting - either that, or made with the wrong material for a fitted blazer, possibly linen. The women's collection, sans the knee-high socks, is actually pretty nice - simplicity at its best. I love the cape and grey dress in the second picture. I am not a fan of the grey overcoat in the first picture - it could be cut much closer to the body for a more flattering, slim-line look. All the pieces worn together may come off a tad matronly, but as separates, they'd be divine if mixed with something more modern/edgy.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (4:44 AM) : 

I like the woman's attaché case/handbag...or is it handbag/attaché case? It looks like a little thought was put into that one.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (5:29 AM) : 

Strengely enough there is more variety in texture and colour in the photos of the men's line than in the women's. (Unusual because menswear has a reputation for relying on the subtilties of detailing for differentation.)

For me , a womenswear collection that drew on these strengths would be more compelling - a white jacket with black shorts/cropped trousers, working the padded quilting into accessories, for example. Like the women wearing Hedi Slimane menswear.

But what initially struck me was who would buy and wear these when there are so many other womenswear collections that offer so much more.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (5:35 AM) : 

These designs are much too overbearing for me. As though he was trying really hard to be innovative but flopped.

I can't relate to these designs I'm afraid.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (6:42 AM) : 

The ideas within his men's line have more appeal than his execution of those ideas.

The women's line is ugly enough to make a mare bite her colt.

- Eminence Grise

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (6:53 AM) : 

yawn......
sorry tommy..

one trick my little thom browne pony shows keep popping up!

very diissapoineted since it was so hyped up and i hear the prices fot the BB suite he did are very high. so i dont get whothey are trying to martket.

my freinds who cant afford TB suite where hoping to buy the BB version but appraently they are a new higer designer price point.

The womens omg! I mean cmon what was he and BB thinking??? they should not have shown it.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (7:08 AM) : 

anon 9:14, May I point out that BLOG's are shaking up the very foundations of those industry heavyweights you mention, (and lots of other industries.) I would even wager that more people are now looking at this BLOG than at some of those very magazines. One of the reasons, in my mind, is the capacity for discourse on a blog that a print magazine doesn't even attempt to provide (Letters to the Editor anyone?) And one of the main reasons for the success of this blog (or shall I say BLOG) is that its humble moderator speaks his mind, shares his passion, encourages and enjoys feedback, and never, ever insults. May I be so bold to suggest that there may be a lesson in there for you....
haapi

 

Blogger The Sartorialist said ... (7:23 AM) : 

for Justkiki

justkiki said
"I have to say, Sart, I'm afraid I agree with Anon 9:14 PM. Sure, you've encouraged discussion about the line, but you've gone about it the wrong way. The "I'm not saying anything, but ..." says it all: you're expecting (and hoping for) negative comments."

first, thanks for your input
secondly, yes I did want to start a discussion so i said what i thought but i certainly was not hoping for a bunch of negative comments b/c that would not be interesting. I think i would "gone about it the wrong way" if i had not posted yours or other views different from mine - that would be wrong.

honestly I wrote the post right after i saw the photos on style.com and maybe what you are reading in my comments is more disappointment than flat out not liking his work.
I was really hoping against hope that he would create something really great so i would have something new to buy for myself personally. I'm still hoping that there is more in the showroom that will make it to the store but was not in the show.
unfortunately what i did see was almost exact knockoffs of previous work which i think would make the wearer feel like he was wearing "poor man's Thom Browne"

let me say this one more time. Thom single-handedly revitalized American menswear and put New York on the map again as a place to find great menswear talent. what he does is unique and more importantly ballsy. If I am tough in my response to his work it is only because i think we really need him to be successful so we can keep NY menswear vital.
With a line-up like Browne, Bastian, Hamilton, Barker Black, etc New York is rocking but Thom has to keep up.
If he continues on his current route he may become more like an Alaia - a cult designer with a great following for a very particular look, always important but not really a leader. (Being compared to Alaia is absolutely not a putdown)

 

Blogger SuMisura said ... (8:04 AM) : 

To the Thom "Browne-shirts" out in force...

At what point does any designer's product become the relevant point of contention, or not above reproach? When we're all walking around wearing pants with no back, only front? Half a side of a jacket?

Browne had an opportunity to dig below all that vanity and excess to find a product that could reach across demographics and really make menswear a relevant and universally fun experience. It would appear he has chose to make that endeavor difficult.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (8:11 AM) : 

dull and dreary. there. I said it. and the last time I see his collection was last year's winter padded gillet, yes, that same one shown in style for men wesbite, for £600something (approx. $1200), what a pile of overpriced boring grey pieces (please don't kill me, TB fans)

 

Blogger Fashionista, Size 14. said ... (8:39 AM) : 

I'm loving the women's wear.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (8:42 AM) : 

horrifying

 

Blogger designerman said ... (9:02 AM) : 

The irony of all ironys is that Ralph Lauren took the original Brooks Brothers concept and, to say the least, ran with is (the business he has developed is humbling in it's scope and longevity).

So now here we have BB trying to bring in a new customer or add 'cache' with a look that is so off the mark for them...it just doesn't add up.

Let TB do a line for Steven Alan's stores and get someone to capture the beauty of American style for Brooks...

 

Blogger Stratos Bacalis said ... (9:19 AM) : 

When I like the models more than the clothes, than I know the collection has failed...same thing here for the men's collection of TB.
For BB I agree with Scott - just a rehash of TB for the masses.
As for the women collection...no comments, this should not even be here in the first place.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (9:41 AM) : 

Anon, 9:14.

As far as your, this is just a blog attitude...Well, a blog is just about the only place that will give your opinion - or mine - the time of day.

But if that's the way you truly feel, maybe your time and energy would be better spent elsewhere?

You're right, though, this is just a blog. Then again, this is just the internet.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (9:54 AM) : 

Actually it's kind of interesting to see the women's wear because I was walking around the other day and saw a woman wearing a business-attire-like skirt, but, strangely, it was slightly shorter than one would expect, like, just short enough for one to notice. She was also wearing ankle boots with it, which looked a little strange.

However, the second I saw it I thought to myself "that looks like the woman's wear version of Thom Browne!" It's interesting to see just how similar that look was to what he actually produced (without necessarily matching these outfits, of course).

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (9:55 AM) : 

thom browne's women's collection... no. unoriginal. unflattering. blah.

 

Blogger Alice Olive said ... (10:00 AM) : 

City shorts for men - it's about time!! As a devoted fan of city shorts, including during Chicago's winter, I endorse completely!!

 

Blogger whyioughtta said ... (10:08 AM) : 

Sorry if this is repetitive with other comments (don't have time to read all 68!). While there's something very "sombre war era" about these looks, I do like the idea of man-tailored clothing for women and I don't think every show by every designer needs to be ground-breaking. But if it's not innovative, it should at least be beautiful or elegant.

What I dislike about the Browne shows isn't the pieces themselves but the styling.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (10:32 AM) : 

With respect to Anon 8:02, Bastian (and Hamilton and the other "new" american designers) are already knocking off Brooks Bros, sometimes stitch for stitch.I'm not into the Browne look, but I respect that he is trying to make items we don't already have in our closets.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (10:44 AM) : 

This line is so uninspiring...boring.
I guess TB didn´t want to have his name on the label because he felt embarrased...
The Sartorialist rocks, and he has the right to express his opinions in HIS blog, right?

 

Blogger cindy hotpoint said ... (11:03 AM) : 

For the ladies: The first ensemble is hideous. The second is quite nice, esp. the cape, but I'd still nix the knee socks.

Repetitive or not, the men's stuff is utterly lovely.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (11:20 AM) : 

With Black Fleece, Thom Browne was given the potential opportunity to stretch his wings a bit, outside the strict, self-imposed constraints he seems to place on himself when designing his own line, and show the world what else he is capable of by taking his work in a slightly new direction.

Instead, he has proven, yet again, to be at worst, a one-trick pony and, at best, stuck in a creative rut. Either way, this was a really disappointing outing. The collection as a whole (men's and women's) felt very forced, old-fashioned and costume-y. The Bermuda short-clad waiter look is particularly tragic, as are the ridiculously high-waisted women's skirts and stiff Nurse Nancy capes. And don't even get me started on the knee socks, which flatter no one physically and do nothing to enhance the outfits they accessorize-even if considered ironically.

In fact, I think that's the problem: Browne takes himself far too seriously for this severe aesthetic to work on a mass level. There's just no humor or lightness here. And, as far as I'm concerned re: his designs and all the attendant hoopla surrounding his oeuvre, there is no there there. (And if there is some buried humor at work here, I'm obviously missing it. We're not laughing with you, Thom. We're laughing at you.)

It will be interesting to see how (or, more to the point, if), this collection sells, and whether Brooks even gives him a shot at season two. What a completely wasted opportunity on all fronts.

The next time, maybe Brooks should sign a designer who actually knows how to design classic American sportswear for real people living in the here and now, like Phillip Lim (who acquitted himself quite nicely with his new men's and women's collections) instead of going with this flavor-of-the-month poseur who can't seem to move beyond life and fashion, circa 1957.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (11:44 AM) : 

Is the novelty of the "never any good to begin with IMHO" one trick pony starting to wear thin on even the NYC crowd?

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (11:48 AM) : 

The men's stuff is alright, but the women's stuff is god-awful... unless the 'potato sack' look is what you were going for.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (11:50 AM) : 

Women: not very flattering to the knees, and not interesting enough to overcome it.
Men: oh, come on, those guys would look fabulous in anything.

 

Blogger East Side Build said ... (12:33 PM) : 

It all looks itchy and a bit Harry Potter-ish.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (1:10 PM) : 

Knee highs?! Again with his "youthification" of the world, eh?

I do like that part of the look, however.

The boxiness of the cuts is an interesting juxtaposition on his menswear.

I'm not a fashion designer, nor am I a psychologist but I think Freud needs to come back to life and discuss "mother figure" and "female authoritarian" issues with poor Thom. He's afflicted, obviously.

mltt

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (2:00 PM) : 

I can't see those shorts working on a guy. Funnily enough I CAN see tights catching on for certain guys and actually looking good, but the shorts and kneesocks thing is just so over-considered.

That said, I don't mind Thom Brown. After all, why should the Femmes be the only ones allowed to have fun?

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (2:28 PM) : 

I really just don't understand Thom Browne & what are Brooks Brothers thinking hiring him? His collections just never work, if you compare his collections to that of say Dries Van Noten who pulls it off everytime ...

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (2:28 PM) : 

Is it strange that the movie Titanic came to mind when looking at the menswear? Well, at the very least, the men's collection looked "fun" (read: smiling male models, always fun) albeit in a "may i take your order" kind of way. The women on the other hand just look uncomfortable and in life, would be reaching for a long ruler to spank me with. Yes ma'am!

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (3:26 PM) : 

Sorry you were not invited to the show. Your comments are apt and I hope you were not punished for your opinions.

As there will always be an England, there will always be a Brooks Brothers. The same Brooks Brothers that handmade my father's suits in the 1950s and the 1960s and the same Brooks Brothers where I am always a perfect size 6, no matter the cut of the suit. I love going crazy with couture, vintage and new, and bright new designers but have relied on my BB suits to look professional and to wear well throughout the seasons.

This girl ain't buying the new collection.

Thom Browne--go home.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (4:11 PM) : 

Hey Sart.
I don't know what your deal is with T.B. but if you are going to do a season buy season gig how about Jil Sander, Hedi Slimane and M Kors
Oh and does North Face need to change as well? Come on..
Some of the girls things are quite nice. And this "one trick pony" thing I guess Coco Chanel was one as well with the tweed jacket.
The fact that T.B. sturs up so much emotion in people speaks volumes about the guy.
I love his work and his sence of humor.
Keep doing what yor doing Thom!!!!

 

Blogger Zaydoun said ... (4:16 PM) : 

For padded gilets, I'll stick to Moncler or even my favorite purchase of last year, my black reversible one from Ralph Lauren

This collection for BB isn't bad... at least it's not made for Pee Wee Herman!

 

Blogger Berkelycole said ... (4:38 PM) : 

Brooks Bothers has been dying a slow death for the past 30 years...it simply is not what Fred Astaire, Katherine Hepburn, John Kennedy et. al. found in their day. It has become a bad lackluster department store...a ghost of the slightly tattered, austere, gently shabby Madison Ave. church that I remember as a child getting fitted for my first blazer. While I have been very interested in the idea of a Tom Browne collection there, it seemed ultimately an odd choice for a store that made its reputation on volumous shirts, boxy suits for cigar smoking executives and country club ivy post grads. That said, I thought and continue to believe that Tom can bring something that will light a new fire. Brooks were the innovators...button collar, sack suit... The collection that I have viewed online so far seems mixed...but not without moments...and here we are talking about it, aguing about it...much more than I have done regarding Brooks for 2 decades...I simply am not ready to crucify Tom for his vision. The look that he has annexed is not unrecognizable to those pool lounging, shag dancing preppies...who always cut their trousers short, showed their sockless ankle and basically reworked plain grey suits into a sartorially casual statement of priviledge. What they will do with this group remains to be seen...but I for one will pass through doors that I had given up years ago, ck it out, and try it on.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (4:59 PM) : 

I don't know what I was expecting, and feel I should somehow have seen it coming, but I was still disappointed to see that TB's first women's collection was MY OLD SCHOOL UNIFORM! Ack. (If anything, my uniform was better as there was also a royal blue melton wool blazer). The kneesocks; the horror.

I really loved that white quilted 2-button jacket from the '06 collection. I have to agree with Sart, though, that BB in '07 seems just to have got reheated TB '06.

I worked on a show with some TB pieces this season, and the detailing was just beautiful. The woman from the TB showroom was wearing one of the men's suits (tailored to her very definitely feminine curves), and she looked amazing--I definitely coveted. But does he have anything else to show us or are we supposed to keep oohing and ahhing the shrunken silhouette well beyond its being 'new' or 'avant garde' anymore? And are we women who thought we might get a rockin' TB suit (after refinancing our mortgages) instead only going to be offered unflattering drop-waisted worsted dresses? No thanks, Mr. Browne.

 

Blogger Elizabeth said ... (5:38 PM) : 

Oh, why not? It's new, and we need something new. I like knickers/shortpants on men and women.

(fyi, I'm a woman)

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (5:39 PM) : 

The women's collection looks way too monotonous, both in texture and color. I know it's supposed to be a fall collection, but I think he could be a bit more creative here and not have something so stereotypically fall.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (5:58 PM) : 

Those boy shorts are atrocious.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (6:53 PM) : 

Booooorriiiiiiiing! Never, ever would I wear this. I'd be a sea of boxy, boring, masculine, frumpy tweed.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (6:53 PM) : 

Ugh...I really wanted to like this collection. Disappointing.

 

Blogger aimee said ... (7:16 PM) : 

Wait, are we sure that these are two different seasons? Kiiiiding. The women's clothes are horrible, especially that coat and those socks (equally horrible on men, as are winter shorts). I do like the white on white with black combo, as well as the quilted stuff for the dudes, but once is quite enough.

 

Blogger Madiyamika said ... (10:40 PM) : 

As most people here know, mensware is a tricky business; too much innovation and people complain it looks ridiculous (i.e. the shorts), but too little and people claim boredom. We are talking suits here, probably the most difficult item in men's sartorial repertoire to innovate. TB is certainly not above reproach, but all the "yawn" comments are hardly constructive and speak to a "fashion" mindset that is the very cause of the trend-driven industry a lot of critics are lamenting about. TB is reactionary, precisely because his direction and mood are difficult to perceive, and I admire the anti-futurism he is championing, intentionally or not.

And responding to an earlier commentator, I do feel that the tone of The Sartorialist is changing. It used to be a fun place to visit and browse. In recent days it feels too didactic for comfort. But I concede, it is a personal blog.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (12:11 AM) : 

i don't give a shit about thom browne but i laughed and laughed at this entry.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (5:13 AM) : 

I don't even think Thom Browne was that great to begin with. Sure he was different from most designers and I'm sure he had his niche audience, but it is not the kind of timeless style that would carry across different generations. It was merely an "of the moment" thing that was more hype than anything. The re-hashing of his own looks in 2006/7 is proof that the only thing that sets him apart is horrendous tailoring.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (10:38 AM) : 

sandman_gr: "As for the women collection...no comments, this should not even be here in the first place."
What does that mean????

 

Blogger Laurence John said ... (10:43 AM) : 

that first white jacket is beautifully cut.
the women's stuff is crying out for a more defined waist.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (5:29 PM) : 

i've been doing the puffer around the suit for years. is this fashion? if it's fashion, i'm going to have to stop!

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (5:31 PM) : 

I love Thom's clothes. And the BB line just just great to me.

Isn't it crystal clear what's he's up to? His clothes evoke a certain utopian mid-century American moment. But he injects a unique deadpan humor into them. Who else has made so much good, clean fun out of such stiffness and formality?

I can't believe the reactions to Browne by so many commentators on this site. Continually puzzled or appalled or full of ridicule...

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (6:35 PM) : 

First off, I love reading all the comments and enjoy all the passion everyone (myself included) has for "just clothes". ha! And Picasso is "just a dude who slapped some paint onto some paper". Not that I am comparing TB to Picasso... I am not. As for the photos... I agree with another comment that the guys look a bit like waitstaff or 6 year olds. As for the women- the models' knees look bad- so ain't no way a normal woman should ever wear this. I think anyone who normally shops at BB will be a little horrified... but the collection will bring some shoppers into the store who never would have dreamed to shop there..they will snap up individual peices to create a more exciting look. Will this be enough to translate to financial success and keep BB coming back for more? I say no.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (10:20 PM) : 

Clearly , it was simply premature to support him so early in his career. He is not a designer but a stylist and needs to mature as a designer before being given this opportunity. It is great for Brook Brother's because they will get the "cool" folk in the store but as everyone one said here "one trick pony."

As far as the woman's wear does anyone remember what happen to John Bartlett, when he did it. Woman aren't turned on by Thom Browne. The woman who shops at Brook's Brothers likes Talbots.



PS It not a terribly original original way of creating a new audience for your store.

 

Blogger Cameron said ... (9:10 AM) : 

Thom Brown's work vacillates from boring to cartoonish to downright ugly. The only reason he's had the success that he's had to date is due to his relationships with the right people.
I'm a fashion designer in NYC and I've yet to see a single person in those horrid highwater pants. If people ain't rockin' those here, I can't imagine where they would be.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (4:58 PM) : 

the menswear is beautiful, i love the vests over the suits. the womenswear is boring and dull, there's nothing wrong with the cut and shape I think, but I don't like the materials and the colours..

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (9:22 AM) : 

It seems that with most designers, particularly those at the top of their game, there is often a disconnect between what is worn on the street and what is worn on the runway. Browne is no exception: the trick is to take the elements you like and ignore the elements you dont. i'm not particularly fond of the vest of jacket thing or the schoolboy short suit idea, but i love Browne's variations on propotions in menswear, and even though i don't own a single piece of his work (i'm 22 and a 4000 buck suit is out of the question right now), i often buy vintage pants, have them tapered to an 8in leg opening, give them a 1.5in cuff and rock them with impunity even though they don't actually hit my shoe. consider the pant length of the fellow in the red check jacket above. he looks quite good, sort of a more british take, a bit more trad than browne, but still there is some subversion there that puts the rest off and prevents him from looking stodgy.

 

Blogger artpup said ... (8:57 PM) : 

I like the men's collection. Grey flannel is very '40s Hollywood with a Cary Grant air, made fun with references to school boy outfits. The quilted white jacket looks very smart. Give him some time to find his groove. As for the women's collection, this is his first, no? He'll figure it out soon.

 

Blogger Yoonhee Kim said ... (8:58 AM) : 

i wanna be on ur blog so bad!!!
i love what u do... im in vienna austria. come and take picture of me!!! please!
yoonheekim.blogspot.com

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (10:00 AM) : 

All I have to say is that THIS IS JUST RIDICULOUS. Of the more than 200 years of history and this is what he comes up with? Imagine what it really could be. I cannot believe Brooks Brothers continues to pay for this.

 

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