# Brooks Brothers,,, Quality Hierarchy suits and jackets



## tuckspub (Jan 18, 2013)

This may seem obvious to most posters but to a new member could someone break down how the hierarchy works with Brooks Brothers. Is 346 the lowest level and 1818 near the highest? I am watching on Ebay and needing to evaluate where an item falls in the different levels of quality. Are certain lines full or half canvas? what about the quality of the cloth used? Any help would be most appreciated. Thanks in advance.


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## Eric W S (Jun 6, 2012)

tuckspub said:


> This may seem obvious to most posters but to a new member could someone break down how the hierarchy works with Brooks Brothers. Is 346 the lowest level and 1818 near the highest? I am watching on Ebay and needing to evaluate where an item falls in the different levels of quality. Are certain lines full or half canvas? what about the quality of the cloth used? Any help would be most appreciated. Thanks in advance.


You probably should state the time period given the breadth of B2 items available on eBay. I'd skip most if not all recent B2 items. Makers, however...


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## Titus_A (Jun 23, 2010)

Presently and in the recent past, BB operates several tiers:

Black Fleece - "fashion" pieces, although some of the ties aren't bad; supposedly top-notch craftsmanship
Golden Fleece - BB's best OTR stuff
1818 - BB's workhorse suits and jackets
Brookscool/Brookstretch/Brooks[etc.] - mostly summer suits made with some artificial fiber
Brooks Suiting Essentials - a budget suit of unremarkable quality
346 - made-for-outlet material

BB has used the Golden Fleece label for its top-of-the-line stuff for years. The 1818 main line was once known as "Makers," and was indisputably better then. The 346 stuff was in former days of better quality, being just a different line. I think the old "Brooksgate" line was aimed at college kids. It wouldn't have been anything to drool over comparatively, but anything that's union-made from "back in the day" is going to hold a candle to what you buy OTR now.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Agreed. Most recent BB is not as good a deal.

Old 346 is better than new 346. It was only a half-step below BB mainline back in the day, but now it's relegated to JAB-quality stuff churned out especially for "factory outlet" stores. (As Scott Anderson will tell you, the term "factory outlet" is used and abused like hell today, not even a fraction of its original meaning. He should know, his family business invented the factory outlet.)

"Makers" are pretty good quality suits and made at a time where they had their own production facility.

"Makers Golden Fleece" is even better. I am fortunate to own a blazer from that line. It's hard wearing, well made (fully canvassed), and comfortable as heck.


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## tuckspub (Jan 18, 2013)

Many thanks, so does any suit or jacket that on a label have 1818 mean that it is part of the 1818 line?


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## KenCPollock (Dec 20, 2003)

In the old days, BB used several different makers to turn out its middle-quality "346" line; Grieco (Southwick), H. Freeman & Sons. and even a little Norman Hilton. However, the Hilton made suits were probably of better quality than BB's own "Makers" line, which was supposedly of the highest quality and which were made in its own factory. 
"346" suits came with the standard 6" drop, that is 6" difference between the jacket and trouser size (40 jacket with 34 inch trousers).
Golden Fleece was just a "Makers" suit made of better quality fabric. The tailoring was the same. "Makers" suits, being made for the richer (and usually older) customer, came with a 5" drop. 
The cheapest line was originally called "Brooks University" and later "Brooksgate." This line, being made for the younger man, came with a 7" drop.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

^ Thanks for the correction! I had been under false impressions it seems.


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## SLeiber (Apr 27, 2012)

Thanks everybody, this thread is really helpful for the newer (and probably some of the older) guys here. Now I'll actually have an idea what the hell I'm looking at on eBay and the Exchange


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## zzdocxx (Sep 26, 2011)

Titus_A said:


> Presently and in the recent past, BB operates several tiers:
> 
> Black Fleece - "fashion" pieces, although some of the ties aren't bad; supposedly top-notch craftsmanship
> Golden Fleece - BB's best OTR stuff
> ...


I'm curious to know which of the above are canvassed vs. fused.


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## emb1980 (Dec 28, 2012)

zzdocxx said:


> I'm curious to know which of the above are canvassed vs. fused.


I'm no expert, but its not _totally_ consistent on the construction. It seems like most of the 1818 stuff is half-canvassed, although the cashmere 1818 sport coat I just bought is full. The current 346 stuff is all fused from what I've heard. It often states the construction on the BB website, either in product description or in the Q&A section for a product.


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## zzdocxx (Sep 26, 2011)

Thank you.


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## adoucett (Nov 16, 2012)

Remember they also have the "Country Club" line which I hear is a notch above 1818 but below Golden Fleece apparently. Maybe someone can add to this... I saw the Country Club tier blazer today at the flagship store for a list price of $750


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## Dave Bishop (Jan 13, 2019)

I am resurrecting this old thread. It is funny, I just bought a BB 346 off EBay as a beater blazer. I think I paid 25 dollars. I have been buying a few things. I picked up a vintage Andover Shop summer sport jacket for 85 dollars. There are some deals if you really look.
Is Charlie Davidson still living?


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## Color 8 (Sep 18, 2015)

346 was made in China for their outlet mall locations. That pretty much says it all.

1818 is a solid workhorse line IMO. A lot of the 1818 suits are made in the US.

For the price of their Golden Fleece shirts, you could have shirts made to measure at many good shirtmakers.


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