I've got three of their recent ready to wear button down shirts that I picked up in John Simons, two white and a blue one. A lighter weight Oxford cloth that's good for wearing with a suit, good cut and quality, US made. They are one of those items that appear in the store occasionally in small numbers, so you have to buy while you can. I guess with these changes we won't see any more.

^ I thought Claudio's comments there were a bit tone-deaf. "Brooks has never been about made in America, it's been about importing," "I don't think our customers care that much," etc. In the heyday of Brooks, it was certainly about importing, mainly from England - not from China etc. (the only thing "imported" means today). I don't think it's purely about being made in America that we care about so much, it's the quality implied by being made in Haverhill, Garland, etc. The fact that the factories care about their product and make it to last. That's not what we'd get from an overseas factory, it's just the truth.

As for the second comment, though, I'm sure he's right. While Brooks could theoretically lean in to MIUSA and turn itself into more of a heritage brand akin to J.Press, one that would appeal much more strongly to the menswear crowd as well as the trad/Ivy people, it would take a 180-degree philosophy shift for it to do so - it would mean, as with J. Press, not having outlets everywhere, restricting your range of products much more narrowly, etc. Brooks isn't going to do that. Their current customer, I believe, doesn't really care. They want the label, not the product.

What they seem to be missing is understanding the value of provenance on a product.

Take for instance a brand like Barbour, when bought out by the Japanese they were insistent that the coats retained production in Galashields as that was their core product and what the company was built around. Lesser good of course could be outsourced, much like the article discusses.

I think their only option would be to do the limited line a la JPress and put a value on a restricted line of premium produce. The challenge for them then is how to get this into the mindset of a generation who are happy to replace cheap clothing annually from (uk) Primark et al. They have to think how they sell that sizzle, we all (forumees) understand there is sense in buying a well made shoe that can be worn for decades when looked after and cleaned, same as a well made tailored jacket or trouser, even denim.

But, if as they say sportswear is now the biggest market in their sales then I think they have gone beyond the point of no return, for me that’s the equivalent of buying an Armani brand watch and expecting to get Omega quality, at the end of the day it’s just a badge on a generic product.

It looks like my work is closing my physical office down permanently. I have been wfh since March 23rd and  have tried to keep getting dressed at least for part of the day. However after the announcement, I am now primarily wearing t-shirts/basketball shorts at all times as a return to my normal has been even further postponed.

The are a few reasons. The first is that I see no one. Not a single soul and I don't count zoom head shots. The second is that my house is actually hard on my clothes (i dont have a proper office). Last and not least my lounge clothes are much more comfortable for sitting on the couch computering than wearing a suit on the couch computering.

It's hard to tell where this will all end.

Last edited by oxford cloth button down (2020-06-08 08:17:20)

Tom, I have a long relationship with wfh. I am not a fan. I oversaw a team before and they loved it. I let them do it but it is not for me. It feels like house arrest.

I need to see and interact with real people and go places. It might be better when places open up that I could go work from, but that is quite a ways off or at least until it feels somewhat fun. I am venting more than anything, but definitely changes coming. It does make me think if this goes on too much longer I will move from the city to the country with a little land. It is hard to pay high-end rent to sit on your thumbs. My bmw lease is up soon and I realized that I have only driven 6 times 4 weeks. Do i even need a car in this new world?

I know its hard all over. I hope that everyone is maintaining.

Last edited by oxford cloth button down (2020-06-08 09:24:01)

This has nothing to do with Southwick or Brooks Brothers...but honestly working from home hasn't changed my routine a hell of a lot. I typically only go to the office on Mondays and Tuesdays anyway, unless I'm working on something that requires a lot of phone calls. Much easier to use a regular phone when I'm scribbling in a notebook.

But I like going to the office and kidding around with everybody.

What I miss are actual events. And "car parades" don't count.

I thought that Zoom meetings would inspire brevity, because the format is awkward and unfamiliar. (I also thought email would create a renaissance in letter-writing.) I was wrong. The Natter Factor is even higher on Zoom. Not to mention the people who can't quite master the thing. And the people with crappy connections.

I'm wearing fishing clothes and waiting for a Zoom meeting to start right now. And my living room is filthy. Crap everywhere, and I can't be bothered to do anything about it.

Zoom pro tip -- Always turn the camera off.