For some 1987 may not seem like that long ago, but a quarter of a century has never the less passed since then. However, viewed within the total span of a company that was founded in 1818, and is coming up on two centuries in 2018, somehow twenty-five years doesn't seem quite as long. In the historical development of Brooks Brothers, there have probably been many different phases and stages, and what Brooks Brothers will look like twenty-five years from now is hard to say. However, what is surprising about this catalog is just how much of it has aged well and still looks great. I still have a little bit of 1987 Brooks Brothers in the closet - a burgundy paisley tie - purchased sometime in the summer of that year at the Madison Street store in Chicago. It still looks great with a tweed jacket in cooler weather.
This catalog shows Brooks Brothers on the eve of the Marks & Spencer buyout at the end of what could be called an amazing period - the summation of the 1970s and 1980s. There were natural shoulder suits and jackets in that distinctive three button style with the top button rolled over. Brooks Brothers top button roll was always just a little bit higher and more pronounced than, say, J. Press - at least to my eyes. The shirts in an array of all cotton fabrics were still six button with unlined collars and cuffs. Most of their offerings were made in their own workrooms, and what wasn't made by Brooks most likely came from England, Scotland, and Italy. There are quite a few remarkable sport coats, and I've included larger images of these after each page where they originally appeared. There is a lot here that I would like to see offered again. Moving forward doesn't mean that things always need to be created anew. Sometimes the tried and true, the old and familiar are just what is needed to move forward into what often appears like a new and unfamiliar future.
