Brooks Brothers

Founded on April 7, 1818 by Henry Sands Brooks at the corner of Cherry and Water Streets in New York, Brooks Brothers is the oldest continuously operating men’s clothing brand in the United States. The company has historically been tied to the nation’s presidential history, having dressed 40 of the 46 U.S. presidents, from Abraham Lincoln to Barack Obama.

Brooks Brothers’ major historical contribution to global fashion was the introduction of the button-down collar shirt in 1896 (button-down collar). Its founder, John E. Brooks, observed during a polo match in England that players fastened the collars of their shirts with buttons to keep them from blowing into their faces in the wind, immediately adapting the idea for the American market.

Another key milestone for the brand was the popularization of the natural-cut three-button suit and soft-structured sack suit (No. 1 Sack Suit) in the early 20th century, as well as the mass marketing of the British-inspired striped tie, reversed for the North American market to set it apart from United Kingdom military patterns.