Thom Browne (born in 1965) is an American fashion designer and was named the Council of Fashion Designers of Americas (CFDA) Menswear Designer of the Year in March 2006. Browne was picked up by Club Monaco, a brand of the Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation, to lead its creative development team. He worked with the American fashion designer Ralph Lauren in this capacity. Browne spent several years at Club Monaco leading its design department before launching his own label. A Thom Browne suit is distinctive in structure and fit. The suits are composed of flat front pants with exposed ankles and a jacket that concludes mid-wrist and doesn't cover the backside. They almost always have three buttons, narrow lapels rolled to the middle button, side vents, and trouser without belt loops. On September 8, 2006, Brooks Brothers announced its partnership with Browne as part of a guest designer program to create and distribute a 50-piece men and women’s high-end collection, called 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.
