Black and brown are rarely a clutch duo; however, Brooks Brothers has not only paired the two together, but pinned the fate of their Black Fleece line on the brown pairing. Thom Browne, that is. The Notre Dame alum, believed to have the men’s silhouette on lock down for the near short term, was commissioned by Brooks Brothers in 2006 to helm the design of Black Fleece’s men’s and women’s collections for the next five years. I was greeted with morning coats, seersucker trousers and saddle shoes on my spring visit to their West Village store front. Some of it works. Some of it will find its way to Brooks Brothers' suburban outlets.

Images via Brooks Brothers and New York Magazine

Thom Browne was the recipient of the 2006 Council of Fashion Designers of America Award for menswear and named GQ’s Designer of the Year for 2008. His eponymous collection is available at 16 specialty retailers worldwide as well as at his appointment-only store in New York City’s Meatpacking District.