Brooks Brothers has long been a source for the working woman, but with Zac Posen at its helm, it’s aspiring to be the source for style-savvy ones, too. Pre-Fall saw Posen produce one of his most concise collections for Brooks yet, nicely marrying the brand’s heritage with the trends of the moment. A navy suit, for example, featured cropped, wide-leg trousers and a double-breasted blazer with a nipped waist and subdued brassy buttons, all of which amounted to a nice, left-of-center corporate ensemble. Elsewhere, thin dresses in blown-up plaids were airy enough for summers on Wall Street or in Westhampton, and a newly expanded range of novelty knits will give Brooks Brothers devotees a reliable way to add some fun into their wardrobes.
Those women would be smart to dig into Posen’s flirtier pieces, as well. A striped shirt, knotted at the waist with a portrait neckline, elevates the off-the-shoulder trend, while a full-skirted jacquard cocktail dress in rich shades of berry and pale blue is a smart, even sexy evening choice for the Brooks lady. As yet, cocktailwear is a somewhat untouched territory in Posen’s BB oeuvre. Maybe he’s saving those ideas for his two eponymous labels, but a little flou would do well on the racks of America’s oldest retailer.
