BROOKS BROTHERS CELEBRATES 125TH ANNIVERSARY OF ICONIC BUTTON-DOWN COLLAR SHIRT

 

BROOKS BROTHERS CELEBRATES 125TH ANNIVERSARY OF ICONIC BUTTON-DOWN COLLAR SHIRT

 

by John Russel Jones

Feb 26, 2025

https://mr-mag.com/brooks-brothers-celebrates-125th-anniversary-of-iconic-button-down-collar-shirt/

 

Brooks Brothers, America’s longest-established retailer, is celebrating the 125^th anniversary of its iconic button-down collar shirt, or as it’s officially known, the “Original Polo Button-Down” that the brand invented. The celebration includes a campaign highlighting unique and notable personalities wearing the shirt, as well as activations throughout the year.

 

The campaign features nine prominent individuals: actress and activist Selma Blair, comedian Hasan Minhaj, entrepreneur and advocate Antwan Tolliver, author of The Official Preppy Handbook and award-winning journalist Lisa Birnbach, New York City Ballet principal dancer Chun Wai Chan, Humans of New York creator Brandon Stanton, WNBA player and union president Nneka Ogwumike, competitive pipe surfer Balaram Stack (at top) and activist and nonprofit leader Alan van Capelle.

 

Photographed by Stas Komarovski, the campaign features black-and-white portraits of each personality wearing this timeless, essential shirt. The cast also gave exclusive video interviews, sharing personal anecdotes of how the Brooks Brothers button-down collar has influenced fashion and defined their own style.

 

“I love American history and American heritage, and that’s Brooks Brothers,” said The Official Preppy Handbook author Birnbach “. Until the button-down collar was invented by Brooks Brothers, collars would flap in athletes’ faces when they were playing polo. That’s the original idea of sportswear. Brooks Brothers has defined classic American sportswear.”

 

 

A Sartorial Game Changer

In 1896, John Brooks, grandson of founder Henry S. Brooks, observed a polo match in England, where players pinned down their collars to prevent flapping during play. Inspired, Brooks brought the idea back to the United States, and within a few years a fashion innovation was born: the Original Polo Button-Down collar led to the modern button-down shirt that’s been copied worldwide ever since.

 

The official invention of the Original Polo Button-Down shirt in 1900 marked the first time shirt collars were permanently attached to the body of a shirt. It was a fashion history milestone. Before that, shirt collars were sized and stiff and had to be stitched onto the shirt’s body. The shirt was first introduced in white, but by the 1920s, thanks to the influence of the Duke of Windsor, it also became popular in pastels.

 

The shirt would go on to inspire fashion designers and spur countless imitations in shirting. It has been worn by numerous US presidents and other world leaders as well as style legends of Hollywood and music (Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, Audrey Hepburn), art and literary world luminaries (Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, F. Scott Fitzgerald) and continues to be a favorite among leading talent, thought leaders and creatives today.

 

The shirt has been displayed at the Museum of Modern Art, considered a fundamental piece of design. It has evolved over 125 years, but remains true to its original spirit—and relevant more than ever today.

 

“Celebrating the Button-Down Collar Shirt is not just a celebration of a garment, but a celebration of the enduring spirit of American style,” said Brooks Brothers CEO Ken Ohashi. “This shirt has been a constant in our heritage and is symbolic of our commitment to delivering exceptional quality, innovation and tailoring for every generation. Often imitated, but there is only one authentic button-down by Brooks Brothers.”

 

Brooks Brothers Creative Director Michael Bastian adds, “The button-down collar shirt is such a fundamental element of menswear that it’s hard to imagine a time that it didn’t exist. But like many things in our life that we take for granted, someone had to invent it, and in this case it was Brooks Brothers. The collar’s original ‘function’ (keeping your collar from flapping into your face while playing polo) is no longer the point and what we’re left with is the perfect collar with that elegant signature roll and real substance, especially when it’s made up in oxford cloth—the classic OCBD.

 

“Its proprietary magic trick is how it sits as beautifully under a jacket with a tie as it does straight from the dryer on its own, perfectly straddling formal and casual like nothing else. This shirt also single-handedly inspired Brooks Brothers entire women’s department in the 1940s when it was noticed that women made up a big portion of its fan base. Of the many things invented by Brooks Brothers, none deserve icon status more than this. It’s crazy the difference two little buttons make.”

 

The campaign debuts today,  February 26, 2025.