Brooks Brothers begins laboratory for guest designers
12 Sep '06
2 min read
Claudio Del Vecchio, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Brooks Brothers, announced that the company has formed a new creative concept for the brand -- a laboratory for guest designers chosen for their forward thinking vision and youthful application of fashion trends.
Creators will be invited to present capsule collections produced and marketed by Brooks Brothers in their stores across America, as well as their shops in London, Milan, Paris, Tokyo and throughout Asia.
American menswear designer, Thom Browne, has been selected as the first "guest designer" and will present a 50-piece collection exclusively for Brooks Brothers beginning in Fall 2007.
"These creative partnerships will allow the iconic, 188 year-old American brand to expand and explore design options for its men's, women's and accessories lines while remaining true to the essence of the Brooks Brothers legacy," Del Vecchio continued.
"The designers in turn will benefit from Brooks Brothers vertical integration, its ability to manufacture and distribute these new collections on a seasonal basis and react and respond quickly to customer demand," he concluded.
Thom Browne is the first guest designer invited by Brooks Brothers to create a new collection under the auspices of the new design laboratory. The company plans to introduce other guest designers in coming seasons.
According to Mr. Del Vecchio, "Thom Browne's brilliant eye, his ability to foreshadowthe market and offer a special look will bring a new dimension to Brooks Brothers."
Thom Browne was the recipient of the 2006 Council of Fashion Designers of America Award for menswear. His eponymous collection is available at 16 specialty retailers worldwide as well as at his appointment-only store in New York City's Meatpacking District.
Brooks Brothers currently operates stores in the United States, Europe, Japan, Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Chile and Dubai.