Hard as it might be to believe, after 208 years Brooks Brothers is still unknown to some people. But Michael Bastian is out to change that.
“It’s time we got back in the conversation,” said Bastian, creative director for the company.
So Brooks Brothers returned to the New York Fashion Week calendar for the first time since 2018 with a presentation of its spring ’27 collection at another unknown: the Radio Park at Rockefeller Center, a hidden gem of a spot complete with full-grown trees, real grass and an array of flowers that is a secret to most New Yorkers.
The location fit Brooks Brothers’ goal to make a little noise and get credit for creating some of America’s most classic fashions over the past two centuries.
Bastian revisited some of the brand’s wardrobe essentials, including the Oxford button-down collar shirt it invented in 1900 along with double-breasted sack suits, seersucker and madras shirts and pants, novelty sweaters and neckwear emblazoned with critter embroidery — all modernized for a new generation.
Although quintessentially American, Bastian was inspired by Monaco in the early 1980s when Riviera style had an influence. This was evident in the bright colors that complemented the more-subdued shades in bold striped button-down shirts; windbreakers created from dress shirt material; colorful popovers; raw silk blazers, and V-neck sweaters with contrast striped sleeves and neck detailing.
A second capsule took its inspiration from the Amangiri resort in Utah and offered a desert-inspired palette of faded browns and ivories in a more-tailored, yet still laid-back, assortment.
The line also featured a capsule created by upcycling artist Jack Wooster, nephew of former Bergdorf Goodman fashion director and influencer Nick Wooster, who customized a few classic Brooks Brothers pieces with his signature barking dog illustration replacing the company’s famous sheep in a ribbon Golden Fleece logo.
Bastian summed up the collection this way: “To me, the real beauty of this collection is how simple, classic pieces can come together in unexpected ways. Of course you can reference the strong color blocking, the layering and general ‘80s vibe, but the real magic ingredient to any Brooks Brothers collection is always going to be how you use these perfect classic items to create your own personal style. This is what makes ‘classic’ feel modern and new again.”
