Thom Browne brings his shrunken fit and quirky style to Brooks Brothers

March 20, 2007 – Thom Browne introduced Black Fleece, his highly anticipated collection for Brooks Brothers, today on the sixth floor of the company's Madison Avenue flagship. The line encompasses both men's and women's looks, and though Browne has done custom work on a one-on-one basis for female clients hankering for his signature snug jackets and high-water pants, this is the first time he has created a full range of clothes for what the Brooks gent might once have referred to as the fairer sex. "I really had a good time with it," Browne said backstage of the new challenge. "I just want to do beautiful clothes for girls—great jackets, smart trousers, the things they say they want—but push it a little."

By pushing it, he meant, for instance, pleated skirts with waists just below the chest. They're not an especially forgiving shape to wear, and they highlighted some issues with fit particular to women that Browne will need to address before round two. Color, which has made a comeback on other runways, is another area that might be worth exploring in more depth. But with menswear such a strong trend for fall, the timing is right for Browne's herringbone sheaths, trenches, and tuxedo stylings. A little boy's plaid coat worn over an A-line tweed gown with a deep Astrakhan hem was the show's most winning look.