Show your stripes: Brooks Brothers introduced the U.S. to rugby shirts (Photo by Karon Liu)
Brooks Brothers—the 192-year-old company that has dressed nearly every American president from Lincoln to Kennedy to Obama and helped create costumes for Mad Men and Gossip Girl—opened its first Toronto shop yesterday under the Royal Bank tower, at Bay and Wellington, naturally.
A faint scent of cigar smoke and snifters of brandy are the only things missing from the 22,000-square-foot space, which resembles a brightly lit gentlemen’s club. The shoe department is appointed with supple leather chairs and side tables holding copies of GQ and Men’s Health.
Crisp button-down collared shirts—an item the company introduced in the beginning of the 20th century, when cuffs and collars were still detachable—range from classic cuts to newer extra-slim fits starting at $108. Country Club, the sporty line that brought rugby stripes to the States, has its own section decorated in a collegiate motif.
In the back are rows of the store’s staple 1818 suits (two for $1,999 or $1,298 each) in greys, browns and black; made-to-measure suits start at $1,550. Men with slimmer and shorter builds will rejoice in the limited-edition Black Fleece line designed by Thom Browne, whose trademark ankle-baring pants and cropped jackets are a departure from the boxy silhouettes characteristic of North American cuts. The designer received a plug on Letterman this week from Vogue editor Anna Wintour, who introduced Browne to Brooks Brothers CEO-chairman Claudio Del Vecchio. The line’s prices are noticeably higher: a navy cashmere sweater made at the company’s factory in Scotland is $650, and a structured tuxedo jacket made from thick sweatshirt material goes for $950.
Warm welcome: The entrance to Brooks Brothers' new Toronto store (Photo by Karon Liu)
But don’t think the introduction of Brooks Brothers to Toronto is a move to trump the established menswear retailer Harry Rosen. “We didn’t come into the market to take 100 per cent of it,” says Del Vecchio. “Harry Rosen is doing a very good job, and we hope to be half as successful as them.”
Womenswear is not forgotten here. The looks are feminine takes on men’s classics, including popular non-iron button-downs and high-waisted wool A-line skirts with two rows of buttons down the front, marrying the company’s signature nautical and boardroom looks. Female fans of Browne should note his small women’s line, a monochromatic scheme of whites, light blue and charcoal shirts, skirts and cardigans. In the back is the boys’ section, where teenage girls channelling their inner Blair Waldorf try on navy blazers with gold buttons. Unfortunately, the string of pearls and weekend excursion to Martha’s Vineyard are not included.
Brooks Brothers, Royal Bank Plaza, 200 Bay St., Ste. UR1, 416-368-0162, brooksbrothers.com.
I checked the store out yesterday and it was a big snore? Jcrew are you listening? Why must you make us suffer so long? Open a store here dammit.
August 27, 2009 at 2:53 pm | by donnaYou’re comparing Brooks Brothers with J Crew? What gives?
That’s like going into Neiman Marcus and going, oh, Target, where are you?
Methinks you’re not understanding what Brooks Brothers is, my dear. They are not comparable stores.
August 27, 2009 at 6:09 pm | by ShockerI didn’t mean to compare them. I’m certainly not a grey hair with a house in Hyannis Port but if you are by all means have fun shopping for blazers at BB. Being younger, I like to have a little more fun with fashion.
August 28, 2009 at 9:24 am | by donnaI have been buying Brooks Brothers Suits and shirts since I went to university in Massachusetts—those cotton oxford cloth shirts can survive about 300 dry cleanings before they die—thank god they are here.
August 28, 2009 at 11:27 am | by JohnI went in yesterday and I have to say the place is beautiful. We needed this. The service was great and i bought a couple of the no iron shirts.
August 28, 2009 at 11:33 am | by JohnYou’re missing the point, Donna. And oh yes, that cutting edge retailer J CREW is just SO on the cutting edge. I forgot how a cashmere sweater can be fun. Ha! You have no clue what you’re saying. That’s like saying you go to Fairweather because it’s more ‘fun’ than Holt Renfrew. You leave the person scratching their head and wishing they hadn’t engaged you in the first place.
And actually my dear, I came back from Hyanis just a week ago (RIP Unlce Teddy) and I wish more people in Toronto had the style of my friends there.
Happy shopping.
August 28, 2009 at 12:45 pm | by ShockerOh, and I forgot to add, yes John, BB is quality with a capital Q. They are an institution. Can’t wait to see the store here.
August 28, 2009 at 12:46 pm | by ShockerFun with fashion? J. Crew? Are you high? Someone’s frontin’.
August 28, 2009 at 2:26 pm | by PABUm have you seen what Jenna Lyons has done with JC lately? Oh I forgot, the commenters on this site always need someone to pick on and today I’m it.
P.S. I didn’t say people from Hyanis don’t have style. I just said that I’m not one of them, so therefore I’m not the BB demographic, but that’s fine by me.
Let’s move on people. Let’s discuss whether or not anyone has noticed a change at HBC since Bonnie Brooks took over?
August 28, 2009 at 4:04 pm | by donnaDoes any self-respecting male with a sense of style think that Brooks Brothers makes nice clothing? That’s laughable. And anyone that dry cleans a shirt 300 times probably needs to be alerted that it went out of style a decade earlier. My goodness. Someone tell people how to dress in this city. Men in this city look like slobs, quite frankly. Brooks Brothers will add to this. White button down shirt with a regimental tie and a blue blazer is just a rediculous look. Maybe I’d dress my kid up like that to look cute for a wedding or something, but a grown man?! goodness.
August 29, 2009 at 4:12 pm | by AnthonyBB rules!
August 31, 2009 at 3:23 pm | by i_love_BBAnthony,
If you’re going to play hipper-than-thou, at least learn to spell “ridiculous.”
August 31, 2009 at 6:44 pm | by WillAnthony,
August 31, 2009 at 8:55 pm | by MichaelReading an article in the G&M today (I think), Mr. Del Vecchio mentioned that BB in Toronto may offer some items that are more European in terms of look. These would be items that, from my understanding, are not in the current line-up and would be made available to the Canadian clientele. Personally, I hope so as, despite the apparent high quality that some have mentioned, there isn’t much that appeals to me on the BB website. Not a question of looking down on US style, just a personal preference that I know I am not alone in sharing. Admittedly, however, I haven’t had a chance to visit the store yet.
Anyway, great to see BB here, and I wish them the best of success.
Anthony, don’t be naive. And don’t try to “sell” your opinion by lying.
BB does NOT only have ONE look, the white button down shirt, blue blazer etc.
Where are you getting THAT one from?
I’d bet a good amount of money that you’ve only surfed their website and not gone into the store. You speak like you’re uninformed about this.
Donna: Now, you’re starting to make some sense. Bonnie has done NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING to change or re-energize The Bay. It’s still the sad, shitty, iconic Canadian dept store it always was. I can’t profess to be a whiz in everything, but really, what does it really take to jaunt over to Macy’s, Neiman, Barney’s, Bloomingdales etc. and just rip off what they’re doing? I mean how many strategy meetings must you have with each dept. to make this thing happen. And to think all that Asian work ethic has been wasted on her.
September 1, 2009 at 12:51 pm | by Shocker[...] November 2006 Fall Threads. September 3, 2009, 8:47 am Filed under: Kavi | Tags: Brooks Brothers, Fall, Fashion, Magazine, Mens, Toronto Life, Wishlist Want. And they just opened a new store in Toronto. [...]
September 3, 2009 at 9:47 am | by Fall Threads. « kavisolo.