The American clothier that dressed Abraham Lincoln and invented the ready-to-wear suit
In short: Founded in 1818, Brooks Brothers transformed American style by pioneering the ready-to-wear suit and introducing staples like the button-down collar. From outfitting presidents to accidentally coining the term shoddy, this historic brand has navigated two centuries of fashion, bankruptcy, and reinvention to remain a pillar of menswear.
Henry Sands Brooks opened his Manhattan shop in 1818 with a commitment to quality and fair profit. By 1850, his sons had rebranded the business as Brooks Brothers and adopted the Golden Fleece—a symbol of wool merchants dating back to the fifteenth century—as their trademark. The company quickly established itself as an industry leader, effectively creating the ready-to-wear clothing market by 1849. Their influence on American style was profound; they introduced the iconic sack suit in 1895, the button-down collar in 1896, and later popularized pink dress shirts and lightweight summer fabrics like seersucker.
The brand’s history is inextricably linked to American leadership. Brooks Brothers has outfitted nearly every president since James Madison, with the notable exceptions of Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. Abraham Lincoln was a particularly loyal patron, wearing a custom-made frock coat to his second inauguration and on the night of his assassination. However, the company's reputation has seen darker moments. During the American Civil War, their rapid production of uniforms using low-quality, decaying materials led to the term shoddy entering the American lexicon. Decades later, the company maintained a curious policy of refusing to sell off-the-rack black suits between 1865 and 2003, a practice often linked to the memory of Lincoln, though it may have simply reflected traditional social norms regarding daytime attire.
Throughout the 20th century, the company expanded globally and diversified, even providing costumes for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Despite its prestige, the brand faced significant challenges as fashion trends shifted toward casual wear. Following a period of stagnation and the economic pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic, the company filed for bankruptcy in 2020. It was subsequently acquired by a partnership between Authentic Brands Group and Simon Property Group. Today, the brand continues to evolve, recently opening a new flagship in Lower Manhattan near its original 1818 site, showcasing historical artifacts like Lincoln’s inauguration coat.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Brooks Brothers
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