Who Should Design Brooks Brothers?

Thom Browne might not want the job, but we know he can do it, having designed the Brooks Brothers Black Fleece collection from 2007-2015. Black Fleece wasn't a huge business, but

it was successful and beloved by a younger customer who wanted Thom Browne's radical proportions without the radical price tag. Interestingly, at the time of its discontinuation, both Brooks Bros and Browne left the door open for a revamped Black Fleece in the future. Hmm… —S.H.

Reese Cooper

Models at a 2019 Reese Cooper presentation.

Slaven Vlasic

Dressing future presidents has to look waaay different—outdoor clothes like utility vests, cargo pants, fleeces, and chore coats are the new Americana business casual. Reese Cooper is reimagining them with an extremely youthful vibe—a few months ago he released a $98 kit for his signature chore coat so that you can DIY one at home. Now THAT’s American ingenuity! —Rachel Tashjian, staff writer

Scott Sternberg (or Brendon Babenzien)

Scott Sternberg

Stefanie Keenan

Brendon Babenzien

Astrid Stawiarz

Brooks needs someone that acknowledges its history but can move it forward in the current landscape. Both Scott (of Entireworld) and Brendon (of Noah) come to mind: aesthetically, they get the youth, but they understand tailoring. They’re great with color combinations, and with patterns and fabric. Maybe most importantly, they’re thoughtful when it comes to design in a way that’s sellable. —Jon Tietz, senior fashion editor

Eunice Lee

The Unis founder convinced men everywhere to slim down their chinos, and then decamped to the West Coast to up the fashion quotient at The North Face. A slightly slimmer, slightly techier Brooks Brothers? Sign me up. —S.S.

Mark McNairy
Melodie Jeng

Mark McNairy is the OG of snarly punk-preppy, putting Pusha T on his runway in bowling shoes and a hat that read BE NASTY, and Travis Scott in a varsity jacket and boat shoes. His khakis, Oxford shirts, loafers, and tailoring arrive as fully freaked classics—recall, dear reader, the edenic years when he was the creative director of J. Press. He can truly get young guys and their dads alike excited about getting dressed again. —R.T.

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