News that Michael Bastian was named creative director of Brooks Brothers by its new owners came as equally surprising and also reassuringly unsurprising. Known for his own namesake label, which spun preppy basics into creative and flashy new directions, he seems like just the right person to guide the brand moving forward. That is, someone who respects the brand’s history and what makes it special, but has a creative vision that can breathe new life into it.
In fact, his first post after the announcement helps confirm that expectation:
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It’s still a blow that their shirt factory in North Carolina, and the tie and suit factories (Southwick) in New York are gone. Someone asked in a comment on that post: “With the NC shirt factory gone, where will you make these?” To which he replied “Not there yet.” So there still remains to be seen what quality of execution, provenance and other details he’ll make.
But here’s my overarching attitude about it all moving forward: Keep an open mind.
Us menswear nerds tend to glorify the past and want period-authentic reproductions of old clothes, getting annoyed by little details that have been changed to appeal to contemporary customers. Bastian will be attempting to thread the needle between what made Brooks good, and what will actually sell and make for a successful business. It’s not 1965—or heck, even 2015—anymore, the gray flannel suit isn’t the standard in the workplace, and the #menswear movement has long since faded.
So as we watch him try to perform the impossible of revitalizing a 200 year old American original while kicking off the next era of the brand, let’s give a little grace for what are certainly going to be some decisions we might personally not be thrilled about.
In the meantime, there are still outstanding deals to be had on great things like their OCBDs, cashmere sweaters and outerwear, right now.
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