IT’S SUMMER SOMEWHERE: A BRIEF HISTORY OF RESORT COLLECTIONS
The concept of a Resort collection is, on the face of it, a bit strange. After all, the last thing most of us really need in the depths of winter are lightweight pieces cast in an array of candy colors. The history behind this pseudo-season is interesting, dating back about a hundred years and intimately tied to […]
The concept of a Resort collection is, on the face of it, a bit strange. After all, the last thing most of us really need in the depths of winter are lightweight pieces cast in an array of candy colors. The history behind this pseudo-season is interesting, dating back about a hundred years and intimately tied to the cultural concept of “luxury.”
At the end of
the nineteenth century, as railroads spread across the United States and
revolutionized travel and transport, wealthy families from the north sought to
escape frigid winters with jaunts south. The season for such cold-weather
avoidance generally started in the weeks around the winter holidays and lasted
through…well, whenever one wanted. Palm Beach, Florida, became one of the most
popular destinations for this pre-jet jet set and, in 1924, Brooks Brothers
joined in the fun.
In December of
that year, we opened what was only our second branch (Newport, Rhode Island,
came first, to cover the summering set) on Palm Beach Avenue not far from The
Breakers and The Royal Ponciana hotels—two ultra-luxurious hotels that helped
make Palm Beach a hot spot. The practice became more widespread as first the
automobile and then air travel made the trip more accessible to a population
that, in the economic boom that followed the Second World War, had more
disposable income and more leisure time than ever before. By the middle of the
twentieth century, a winter vacation to someplace warm was more or less an established
part of the American Dream.
Savvy
retailers, including Brooks Brothers, quickly introduced a new slate of
offerings to meet the needs of these vacationers. After all, it simply wouldn’t
do to be strolling about a see-and-be-seen destination in last summer’s
clothes! And thus was born the practice of releasing a line of
warm-weather styles in the midst of winter’s worst weather.
Resort
collections, sometimes called Cruise collections, have always been defined by
certain key elements. Nautical themes and bold prints often abound, as they do
in our latest collection, as a nod to the ocean-bound nature of many winter
getaways. Heavy wool is swapped out for crisp linen, lightweight cotton and
breathable fabrics like seersucker. The color palette changes too, using bright
pops and dreamy pastels as an antidote to the mid-winter blues.
Here are a few pieces for him and her that are sure to boost your spirits in classic style, whether you’re headed off on a warm-weather jaunt or just looking to jump-start your spring wardrobe with a hint of warmer days ahead.
For Ladies:
Brooks Brothers Floral-Print Jersey Tunic Detail
Brooks Brothers Floral-Print Jersey Tunic
Brooks Brothers Floral-Dot-Print-Silk-Square-Scarf
Brooks Brothers Double-Breasted Stretch Wool
Blazer
For Gentlemen:
Brooks Brothers Tech shorts detail
Brooks Brothers Tech shorts
Brooks Brothers Nautical-with-Stripe-Reversible Bow-Tie
Brooks Brothers Water-Repellent-Hooded Trench Coat
Brooks Brothers Vietnam:
- HCM: L1 – 19 & 20, Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, District
1 – ☎ (028) 3939 0477
- Hanoi:
31 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Ward – ☎ (024)
3266 8206