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Brooks Brothers’ Holiday Gift Book 2011 was filled with intriguing elements suggesting that a transformation is well underway for a brand I’ve historically associated with the likes of J.Peterman. Rare is the prep school grad who doesn’t consider Brooks Brothers as their first source for a suit (unless it’s a prep school alumna; women taller than 5′5″ need not bother trying anything on at Brooks Brothers unless you want to look like a squat toad). But it looks like they are making assertive moves to broaden their target audience beyond sons of the American Revolution.

Because by “a transformation is well underway”, I mean, “I think Brooks Brothers is totally horny for wealthy East Asian nationals.”

Five clues that bring me to this conclusion:

1. Chairman and CEO is named Claudio Del Vecchio.

And he’s flaunting his non WASPy ways right there on the inside front cover of the catalog!

I mean, couldn’t he at least have pretended his middle name was Brooks? ;)

Of course, you’d have to be a member of the historical Brooks Brothers target audience to notice this detail. If you’re a Chinese national, you may not pick up on the subtlety of an Italian running this company.

2.  Brooks Brothers offers ‘experiences’.

They’re hosting 20 people in Newport in June 2012. You can join other like-minded folks for $3K a pop.  They’re also offering experiences like a St. Andrews golf weekend, a Kentucky Derby getaway, and evenings in Manhattan.

This seems consistent with the growth strategy outlined by Claudio ‘Brooks’ Del Vecchio in a 2007 interview with Time’s Barbara Kiviat:

So it’s probably not a bad idea that Del Vecchio is finding growth in new places—like abroad. Brooks has had stores in Japan for years but now is breaking into new markets, from Paris to Seoul to Santiago to London.

If I were a wealthy immigrant or wealthy foreigner who wanted to buy her way into what I perceived as high status or high society goings-on, you bet I’d be joining in for these BB-curated experiences.

3. Anyone for a hot WASP on a platter?

Okay, so maybe you tall ladies can’t wear their suits … but you can get yourself some Brooks Brothers dessert platters or a set of Brooks Brothers China by Richard Ginori.

And — though not in the catalog — apparently you can get a set of $350 Brooks Brothers chopsticks as well. If that isn’t screaming court-the-rich-Chinaman … then I don’t know what is!

4. Miscegenation!

On pages 40-41 there’s a lovely scene depicting holiday celebrations of a family whose dad is Asian and mom is white.

Seriously. This is news, people. This is aspirational imagery for the rich Asian guy.

5.  Sleep With Brooks Brothers

Now everyone can sleep their way to the top with linens by Brooks Brothers. High thread count? Check. Patterns that echo their shirt fabrics? Check.

Available in extra-long twin for your Exeter dorm room? Fail.

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This is all very fascinating to me. Can’t wait to see what they’re going to do next. Wonder if these brand extensions will alienate their core constituents? They’re savvy enough to not include the chopsticks in their catalog, so perhaps their core audience won’t even notice.

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