Readers may recall that on my trip to New York City last November I was able to catch FIT's exhibit
Ivy Style. It's almost impossible to discuss the history of menswear, especially during the 1920s, and not touch on Brooks Brothers.
The company was founded in 1818 and was well known for both its ready-to-wear and custom made men's clothing. To create clothing on such a large scale during a time when the majority of attire was handmade in the home was certainly impressive. Staples of Englishmen's wardrobes were taken and reworked in to what today are most well-known as Ivy league or prepwear; FIT
noted specifically such staples as Shetland sweaters and button-down Oxfords.
I was thrilled when I discovered that Brooks Brothers would be costuming Leonardo di Caprio and Tobey Maguire for the remake of
The Great Gatsby. GQ Magazine UK published online today exclusive sketches by the film's costume designer Catherine Martin. The company's expansive archives inspired many of the designs and over five hundred outfits were manufactured by Brooks Brothers for the film. I find it very easy to imagine Gatsby or Nick in these iconic pieces.
 |
Pink linen suit design sketch for Jay Gatsby
|
 |
| Tweed 3-piece suit design sketch for Nick Carraway |
F. Scott Fitzgerald attended Princeton as a young man, but is most well-known for becoming the leading fictional documentor of "The Jazz Age". No book greater iconified the decade than
The Great Gatsby.
During his time spent in undergrad, though, Fitzgerald was very familiar with Brooks Brothers clothing, and would become a lifetime customer (he
supposedly reported for military duty during WWI in a Brooks Brothers tailored uniform). As noted by Catherine Martin to
Business Insider, "
Brooks Brothers is mentioned several times in Fitzgerald's writing as a representation of the ultimate gentleman's purveyor of fine clothing to the American man of distinction."
In this way, it seems most fitting that Brooks Brothers would costume
The Great Gatsby in order to do justice to the writer's history with the brand.
 |
| Suits from Brooks Brothers' Gatsby Collection |
 |
| The Gatsby collection storefront at Brooks Brothers' shop on Regent Street in London / Photo credtis: GQ Magazine UK |
Coincidentally, as I was sorting the racks for designer
Colette Wasdahl yesterday, I found a pale pink Brooks Brothers women's day dress! Circa what I believe to be (possibly) 1940s, the dress was simple in cut and design but not lacking in quality. Adding it to my collection seems like the right thing to do!
Check out all of the lovely menswear in The Great Gatsby on May 10th in theaters.
Comments
Post a Comment