Why He's No. 96

On September 8, 2006, Brooks Brothers announced their partnership with Browne as part of their guest designer program to create and distribute a 50-piece men and women’s high end collection, named Black Fleece. Claudio Del Vecchio, Chairman and CEO of Brooks Brothers, felt that “Thom Browne’s brilliant eye, his ability to foreshadow the market and offer a special look will bring a new dimension to Brooks Brothers.” The line appeared exclusively in 30 Brooks Brothers stores worldwide beginning in September 2007.

Back Stage

Thom Browne was born in 1965 to two lawyer parents. He grew up in Allentown, Pennsylvania, participating in non-team sports and keeping to himself most of the time. He earned an undergraduate degree in business from the University of Notre Dame. After college, Thom Browne moved to Los Angeles (a decision he calls rebellious) to try his hand at acting, and he ended up getting several jobs in commercials.



However, he and his friend Johnson Hartig (with whom he later started his Libertine label) also enjoyed playing around with old vintage suits, cutting them down and wearing them around California. In 1997, Thom Browne decided to move to The Big Apple, and his first job was working in a Giorgio Armani showroom as a salesman. He then tried his hand working for Club Monaco and, after several promotions within the company, he launched the Thom Browne label in 2001. He hired a modest staff of four people, opened a by-appointment-only storefront and introduced his first collection. He admits that many of his first sales were to friends he convinced to buy his suits, but it wasn't long before fashionites everywhere were donning his stylish threads.

Forcaste

Since his debut in 2001, the Thom Browne collection has extended into a more complete menswear line with dress-shirts, sweaters, ties, underwear and accessories. Thom Browne currently can be purchased around the world and at his flagship store in Tribeca.