Today GQ reported on the unveiling of the anticipated seersucker suit collaboration between Brooks Brothers and streetwear brand Supreme. Writes GQ:
But even meaner is the spin the Supreme team put on the preppy staple, swapping the traditional washed blue-and-white stripes for dark gray. Pop open the jacket and you’re hit with a black-and-white star print lining and of course, the unmistakable red-and-white Supreme logo. The overall effect is a classic suit gone gritty, one we could see worn with a crisp white oxford shirt and knit tie or even one of Supreme’s iconic tees.
According to Supreme’s site, the collaboration consists merely of a seersucker suit in the Fitzgerald cut, priced at $549, along with a bucket hat priced at $68. Below is one of Supreme’s marketing images (no idea if the fence is part of an incarceration facility):
Trad brands must find new markets somehow. Nevertheless, cast your vote on which duet is most surprising. — CC
[yop_poll id=”31″]
Brooks works hard to appeal to multiple markets, so this collaboration doesn’t surprise me. J. Press and Urban Outfitters, however, still puzzles me a little.
GQ is just the worst, it reads like a fashion Mad Lib completed by a 14 year old boy.
Am I the only one that finds gray seersucker neither “gritty” nor surprising?
Two brands, past their prime, no where really to go… it is like a show-marriage between two faded Hollywood stars.
I simply don’t see anyone who regularly wears seersucker wearing anything by Supreme and I don’t see anyone regularly wearing Supreme wanting to wear a suit. It makes absolutely zero sense but perhaps I’m being shortsighted.
Why would the very standard chain link fence be part of a prison? Obliviously racist week in America continues!
I think there are standard chain link fences (probably with barbed wire on top) around prison yards, but then I’m going by TV and movies as I’ve never been in one.
BTW, AEV, what race is the model?
Huh? Chain link fences exist in all sorts of settings: parks, playgrounds, sports courts and fields, office buildings, parking lots, construction sites, apartment buildings, and on and on and on.
I’ll ask the question again: why would this particular fence be likely to be around a prison?
And I’ll ask my question again.
Wow. So you’re sticking with the: I only associate chain link fences with prisons so, whenever I see one, I assume it must be around one. You’d have me believe that you rarely (if ever) seen chain link fences in any other setting – in fact, you really only encounter them on TV, when they’re only shown around prisons. Ha ha….got it.
What race is the kid? I don’t know, but he doesn’t appear Caucasian at first glance. And, I’d guess you also associate Supreme – a self described ‘urban, rebellious’ street wear company – with non-Caucasians as well. So, in an obliviously prejudiced, less than thoughtful attempt at humor, you made a prison joke in light of this rather unlikely collaboration.
Let me guess: I’ve got it wrong. I hope I do: so, let’s finally hear why you associated this non-descript, generic chain link with a prison.
I was expecting a fitted cap.
And the Urban Outfitters collaborations was much stranger. This was inevitable.
On my monitor the fence appears green, my guess it’s a tennis court fence. My experience with prisons is that they don’t have green chain link fences and razor wire, well unless they have a tennis court. 😉
The attached by RL sets the standard in my humble opinion.
http://www.mrporter.com/images/products/184537/184537_mrp_in_l.jpg
I think a deeper question for AEV is how race is ascribed to interlocking pieces of metal, despite the context. Or how it’s not at all racially biased to type the model by what he looks like to you, subjectively, “at first glance.”
Nice try, bro.
By the way, I think the jacket looks kinda rad, but I’d hate to buy an entire seersucker suit; and the hat is fucking stupid.
Brooks x Supreme is less strange than J.Press x Urban. This suit is at least the same (relatively high) price, same (relatively low) quality, and same (bad) fit as the rest of Brooks’s mainline offerings, whereas the J.Press collaboration was a marked departure from what it then offered in terms of price, quality, and fit.
That being said I don’t really understand the purpose of this collaboration. I assume this suit is made-in-China crap like most of Brooks’s tailored clothing. What exactly, then, are they bringing to the table for Supreme, who presumably could have its own crappy suit made in a crappy factory in a crappy country overseas without the assistance of Brooks? The evidence points to it being all about the name, and the perceived “worlds colliding!” effect of Brooks and Supreme together. Which makes this another sad example among many of how empty a shell Brooks largely has become.
That youngster is clearly outside, not inside, the incarceration facility. Waiting his turn, perhaps.
Am I the only one who has no Idea what ‘Supreme’ is?
@Randy
You certainly aren’t.
From the title, I assume is has something to do with
the “Herd on the Street”
Ironchefsakai – My second hand embarrassment for you is palpable. I ascribed nothing – Christian did…which is why I asked the questions(s) I did. He suggested, for no clear reason, that the chain link fence was associated with a prison. Why? He can’t say…..and, I’m guessing, either can/will you.
There’s no way that’s a prison: the kid in the picture is white. Come on!
So no one here is going to camp outside Brooks the night before this collab drops?
You can add me to the group of those who have never heard of a clothing brand called “Supreme”, but how long does anyone think it will take before this Brooks Brothers/Supreme product ends up on Venty Privy, Gilt, or MyHabit at 90% off just like the Brooks Brothers Black Fleece and J. Press York Street product does?
Am I the only one who can’t figure out if that’s a girl or a boy in the picture?
Haha, AEV, what the hell is “second hand embarrassment”? Does it have anything to do with rampant hypocrisy and incoherent ramblings?
He said the fence looked like a prison because the dude is wearing grey-and-white stripes–which is pretty blatantly obvious unless your goal is to raise dissent over a fiction just to make yourself the object of attention.
AEV, get a life. You must have too much free time to waste thinking of such rediculous things.
Obviously a supporter of the current regime, which unfortunately views everything this way!
Ironchefsakai – No, it has to do with being embarrassed for you, as you work so hard – for reasons I don’t understand – to defend something which was clearly written thoughtlessly and in poor taste. The non-joke referenced the fence, not the seersucker (which, even if that was attempting to be implied, looks nothing like prison garb of any variety).
How can it be so hard for you – or CC or Jim – to recognize that making a (poorly constructed and less than funny) prison joke in reference to a young mixed-race/latino boy wearing a ‘street wear’ designed blazer might not be an appropriate attempt at humor? Instead of simply admitting to yourself that, “…yeah, that wasn’t a great attempt at humor given the circumstances…”, you decide to fight with me and go through verbal gymnastics to rationalize and theorize what was written and why. Odd.
I said initially, I’m glad to see that Obliviously Racist Week in America continues…I suppose it shouldn’t surprise me too much coming from a group who spends their time fetishizing old black and white photographs of (nearly) all white college campuses from the 1950-60s, archiving and reposting vintage trad catalogues, and bemoaning Jazz as not truly “Ivy”…keep hanging on gang….keep hanging on.
AEV: The joke about prisons by Christian was obviously a nod to the link between “streetwear” and hip hop/prison culture, which indeed have a tenuous relationship with each other if they aren’t completely intertwined. I personally was not offended by it as this blog is the only one that even tries to showcase trad clothes on black people, though the casual racism shown by some commentors (Reactionary Trad as Exhibit A) is appalling.
Jim: by you saying that AEV supports Obama–a black president–and therefore is too overly sensitive to racial issues, you’ve kind of proven his point, at least in the narrow sense that you don’t allow any room for a non-Democrat to be concerned with racial sensitivity. Cliven Bundy would appear to turn this view on its head, but to each their own. Suffice it to say that, like in Scotch whisky, there is a nasty, neocolnialist side to Trad, and it has been quite elucidating to watch its seams show a little bit here.
As far as the suit is concerned, Original Penguin has been making bonkers Seersucker patterns for years and aiming it at a younger hipster urban crowd, so I don’t really see what the fuss is about. Like the color, hate the lining, hat is stupid, price isn’t bad, etc.
I’m guessing the model for this $500, unnecessary-for-work suit is supposed to represent a DJ or professional skateboarder, but he’s just so young, and with the gold necklace (not preppy), slouching posture, and above all the giant hat that swallows him up, I laughed to myself that leaning against the fence he looks like a juvenile delinquent.
I’d like to think I’d make the same wisecrack if the model looked like, say, Eminem:
http://s1.evcdn.com/images/edpborder500/I0-001/001/993/588-6.jpeg_/eminem-88.jpeg
M Arthur
Thanks, I own that jacket.
http://www.mrporter.com/images/products/184537/184537_mrp_in_l.jpg
Dear JHR:
FYI, I’m an Independent. My dislike for the guy in the WH has nothing to do with his race, but his politics. He’s not black, but bi-racial!
I guess that I’d have to hate all whites as well because maybe you are unaware that his mother was caucasian, so I guess that.
Actually, I don’t care what, race, color, or creed a person is. If I happen to dislike someone, it’s because of who they are,not what they are. There are a-holes in every catagory.
To let you know, when I saw the article, none of the things you brought up even occured to me, until I read your idiotic racial rants. You appear to be an apologist, a guilt ridden white guy, looking to save another unfortunate person having less than yourself.
I like gray seersucker; is a perfect choice for a city summer suit.
Great with a navy silk knit tie and black penny loafer (and please,put the socks).
P.S.
The guy in the picture seems a young Desi Arnaz.
Wow! in 50s (the age of the our beloved “old black and white photographs”) a latino was the husband of Lucille Ball and the main character in the most popular TV show.
Good times!
Jim,
I’m not a “guilt-ridden white guy,” but a black conservative who lives on the south side of Chicago, in Bridgeport. Maybe you’ve heard of it? The Daleys live here. Anyway, despite being hip and progressive now they stoned Martin Luther King, Jr. here in the sixties, which is just to say that racial issues in America aren’t nearly as cut and dry as you make them out to be (as evidenced by you assuming I was white based on what I said to you).
I know his mother is white. You don’t have a market on basic historical knowledge. But he identifies himself as black. Could be political expediency, or it might have something to do with the fact that one drop of black blood was historically tainting and that society still treats people of mixed-race heritage as other. If you don’t, good for you, but you are an exception, not the rule.
You’re certainly right that there are assholes (not a-holes; perhaps an independent shouldn’t engage in the liberal tendency to ban words for their supposed uncouthness) in every category, and no one is more nonplussed with the Obama administration than me, but the fact that you assumed that a commentor supports Obama simply because he asked a question about the appropriateness of a joke does have socio-political implications. Even if you don’t consider Obama black–laughably risible, but very well–his administration has directed resources towards percieved inequalities, and the implication of your comments would appear to be that by asking a simple question about racial sensitivity, he would doubtless support those things. You have no evidence of that whatsoever, which was my entire point.
Anyway, someone who would assume that I am a racial apologist trying to save someone with less than myself, based on comments that I made, wouldn’t appear to be independent at all. It seems to put you in lockstep with the Tea Party, or at the very least the libertarians. No beef on my end, but you should at least be honest about your politics.
We interrupt our regularly scheduled race-baiting rants to point out that darted, fully-lined seersucker is an epic fail.
JHR Libertarians are by definition the most race-agnostic of political affiliations.
Musicmax: I completely agree. I was simply saying that Jim’s apparent distain for social welfare programs (“…looking to save another unfortunate person having less than yourself”) is well in line with libertarian’s belief that the cost of welfare programs is one of the culprits in the exorbitant amount of federal debt we’ve accumulated. Nothing very “independent” about a distain for welfare. It just strikes me as disingenuous to cop that stance when it is essentially a parroting of not one but two conservative movements. (As previously mentioned, I identify as a conservative politically, but my influences are the Jean Kirkpatricks and Irving Kristols–that is to say, lapsed liberals–so my opinion of social services is much more measured.)
This is a clothing/style blog mostly, so the fact that this is even being aired out here is a bit out of hand, but to dismiss ANY discussion of racial issues as “baiting” or “apologist” is ridiculous.
I like that you said “mostly,” JHR, as I object to the simple description of this site as a “clothing blog.” Clothes, I think we can all agree, have just been the stepping off point here, and I encourage free discussion of life in general, as life is what happens when you’re wearing clothes.
I think I’ll go tweet that, with the edit that life also happens when you’re not wearing clothes.
“life also happens when you’re not wearing clothes.” Some of the best parts, if you’re lucky. 😉
Disclaimer: That last comment wasn’t meant to start a running dialogue on “patriarchal rape culture”. 😉
@ MAC…lol! “Of course clothing makes the man…the naked have very little influence” -Mark Twain
MAC:
I’m envious. Nowhere to be found now….to my knowledge.
@JHR
I can assure you that my comment was not even casually racist.
I have no idea whatsoever about the race of the potential inmate in the photo; my comment was based upon his slouch, his facial expression, his necklace, and his hat. More than enough evidence for those of us who have any experience teaching high school.
Honestly I don’t think this collabo won’t be sucessful. I’m New Yorker my whole life. I’m familiar how the Supreme collaborations work. Most of the demographics of Supreme buyers are youths or adults heavily into sneaker collecting. Supreme usually does collaborations with Nike or release their own limited apparel. Most of the people buy the apparel to resell it for a higher profit to the people that miss the collaboration. Now a seersucker suit isn’t something that a sneakerhead may find interesting. Just like how we not find interesting a T shirt with a picture of Lady Gaga with the Supreme logo. Yes this collaboration did happen. I believe there’s no good resale value for the sneakerhead who would fall in the young hip crowd that buys in Supreme and I guess Brooks Brothers is interested in.I’m 24 years old but I dislike sneakers except All Stars and Tretorn. I usually wear my Gh.Bass penny loafers or my other loafers.Most of my sneaker collecting friends never heard of seersucker or the brand BB. I’m not stereotyping at all because I also have friends that collect sneakers and wear supreme that are familiar with BB.However, they don’t see themselves wearing it.This probably is the most straight forward response because I’m from NYC and understand the whole sneaker collecting phenomenon. Reason why I mentioned NYC because Supreme’s main stores are located in L.A AND N.Y.C.JOKE OF THE NIGHT EXPECT TO SEE PLENTY OF SEERSUCKER SUITS WORN IN WINTER IF THIS collaboration goes successful!!!
Reactionary Trad: I don’t know you personally and therefore I feel it prudent to take you at your word, but I do find the assertion that because he dresses or behaves a certain way he is due for a prison trip troubling.
He hasn’t commented really since his initial few comments, but AEV’s broader point was: how do you know? Like I said in MY initial comment, there is a tenuous link between street wear and prison culture, which feeds a lot of hip hop style. However, when you factor in that, based on record and tour sales, that rap is basically the new rock and roll, and that kids do whatever they see until they wisen up and discover their personal identities (if they’re lucky), it isn’t so easy or safe to make snap judgments like that. In the suburbs of where I live (Chicago), scores of kids who should “know better” socioeconomically nonetheless choose to cop the style and stance of the model in that picture. I can’t possibly believe they’re all jail-bound.
Concur with Charles.
Full lining, especially if it’s a cheap synthetic fabric, means it will wear about as cool as a 10 ounce worsted flannel in August. Zero breathability.
Front darts, as always, upset the symmetry of the cloth pattern. Since shaping can be acheived without them, they serve…well, not much of a purpose at all. Except to make the jacket uglier.
With the vintage/retro/throwback-to-the-60s/Americana vibe still in full effect, one does wonder what might happen if Brooks decided to offer a really accurate, well (American) made line that resembled Ivy offerings circa 1964. A real natural shoulder, UNdarted, center hook vent, and 1/4″ top stitching. A reasonable length, not the Thom Browne extreme.
Some hoped the return of “Own Make” would be precisely that.
It was not.
At least somebody is making an effort, and, perhaps ironically, it’s a shop not at all affiliated with the skinny trousered, slim-fitted nonsense the Ivy-tending Brooklynites exalt.
http://www.bensilver.com/Harris-Tweed-Broken-Bone-Jacket-in-Cream-and-Coffee,24470.html#.U2D6jSp5mSM
http://www.bensilver.com/Harris-Tweed-Multi-Color-Broken-Bone-Jacket,24712.html#.U2D7cSp5mSM
http://www.bensilver.com/Lambswool-and-Alpaca-Chevron-Jacket-in-Tan-and-Brown,24466.html#.U2D7jip5mSM
And so on.
As I mentioned earlier, I had never heard of “Supreme”, then there was a comment about a ‘Supreme” store in Los Angeles.
I found this YouTube video showing the “Supreme” store in Los Angeles……
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRwJNdzCG-c
AEV, I usually agree with your posts here, at least in broad brushstrokes if not in every detail, but this time, you’re just way, way off.
Christian made a throwaway comment. It’s a lighthearted joke, recognizing that these particular clothes bear just enough of a resemblance to old-fashioned prison uniforms to make that joke—and you turn it into a crypto-racist comment?
Not only did you overreach, you ought to be ashamed of yourself. First, for smearing Christian with one of the few career-ending accusations still left; second, for being gullible enough to fall for the modern anti-racism ideology, which has nothing to do with racism and everything to do with groupthink and leftist ideology.
M Arthur
Bought mine some years ago at, get this, a Kansas City Macy going out of business sale.The Macy store was a depository clothing prior to moving to jobbers.
I just happen to be there assisting a relatives child to buy an outfit for parochial school graduation, 7th grade. The kid was a stud at graduation in his RL navy blazer, blue university striped OXBD, charcoal trops, Brigade Of Guards regimental tie, white bucks. My sister says I created a clothing monster, not the first. ;-).
For those who don’t follow me on Twitter, I’d posted this earlier in the week:
https://twitter.com/IvyStylecom/status/459337780695683072
I hope AEV agrees with me on the horrible judgment of that brand name.
@S.E.
One of the problems is that even some readers of this blog are unable to see the obvious superiority of the styling of the Ben Silver jackets you so kindly shared with us.
@Christian,
Isn’t “Whites Only” a fine piece of black humor, and wouldn’t it be delightful if the firm were owned by Blacks?
Supreme is much more surprising. They are a street wear brand that is very in line with the alternative music community as well as skateboarding and such things. Urban Outfitters atleast sports a lot of brands that have Rugby-esque vibes
I’ll throw in my lot with those who appreciate Ben Silver. Yes, it’s expensive, but the quality is first rate. Last winter’s tweed offerings were particularly fine. As for seersucker, I think both Press and O’Connell’s offer the traditional 3-button undarted version. Ben Silver offers a two-button model I believe.
No doubt Ben Silvers has some beautiful goods and the prices are in line with Press and O’Connell.
Ben Silver carries Magee Irish tweed jackets. I particularly like the tan chevron one S.E. linked to. I think only J. Press and O’Connell’s carry Magee, but who knows what the future of J. Press will be.
MAC: Great story. On sale? You’re hurting me! 🙂
The Brooks/Supreme arrangement surprises me more; if I think back to the 80s–and my first experience with Urban Outfitters was on M Street in Georgetown when they were punk/New Wave–there was that peculiar kinship between preps and punks. So I could see the J. Press/Urban Outfitters collaboration more clearly.
Since I live in the LA area, I have driven by Supreme. Except for slightly cheaper rents, I’m unclear why they opened on Fairfax rather than on the major cross-town boulevards of Melrose above or Beverly below that street. Fairfax is an older Orthodox Jewish neighborhood with an ancient and well-known but not-so-kosher restaurant, Canter’s (just fair chicken kreplach but really tasty BLTs), which has had the rockin’ Kibitz Room for quite a few decades. I suppose the one or two glatt delis left are on borrowed time; I’ve also seen a couple of other new hipster retailers trying for some sort of scene. Perhaps there’s some synergy hip-hopping around I’ve yet to sense.
Even though my years of skateboarding are past, and I make do with some old K-Swiss and Van’s, I get what Crispy is saying. Re-selling for profit is pretty common for these sorts of match-ups: I have a friend whose kid financed a surfari to Indo with some smart re-sale of streetwear. That said, a Brooks ‘n Supreme collaboration does not seem like an easy sell.
BTW that seersucker bucket hat’s def’ wearable. And they even got the stripes to meet and match. How kewl is that.
Why!