which has been in business since 1818, has filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Well dressed New York lawyer, 1914. Brooks Brothers suit?
The clothier is an iconic men's fashion institution, although it also makes clothing for women. A privately owned company the entire time, in more formal eras it virtually set the pattern for really fine men's business wear. Abraham Lincoln had suits made there, as did John F. Kennedy. Theodore Roosevelt's size was on record there such that when the Spanish American War was declared, he ordered uniforms from the company.
I've had three Brooks Brothers suits myself, all of which were excellent suits. By some odd law of nature, as soon as I acquire a really good suit, I gain weight, so I can't wear any of them anymore. There's be no point in me keeping my size on record.
The company couldn't weather the storm of COVID 19 and the decline in American standards of dress. It's going to close 200 outlets and hope to reorganize.
Another clothing institution having trouble is
Levi Strauss, which saw a 62% decline in sales this past quarter.
Both Levis and Brooks Brothers have had to weather the changes in fashion over the past half century, but Brooks Brothers actually seemed to be handling it better, never forgetting that its flagship line were men's suits. Levis, in contrast, only weakly defended its legendary brand, Levis blue jeans, which are now made overseas as a rule. The company has seemed to lose its way in general.
Levis "Dockers", which the company introduced when business casual became a think. I do like this product line.
Levis advertising, a symbol of the company, really hit rock bottom during the last couple of decades when it tried to really appeal to hipsters. Perhaps its worst advertisement was a young, grungy, looking woman wearing Levis 501s and a wool cap just spouting nonsense.
Not from Sur La Table.
Also taking bankruptcy is a company called Sur La Table, a company that sells high end kitchen goods. You'd almost think that in this stay at home era, it'd be doing good Apparently not.
Also not from Sur La Table.
It's interesting how this company, which in some ways must have ridden the foodie boom of the last fifteen or so years, would be in trouble now. Turns out, probably, that you cook with some pretty old fashioned generic stuff.
Not taking bankruptcy, but warning employees of possible furloughs, is United Airlines, who this past week gave that notice to 36,000 of its employees, 1/3d of its total work force. Air travel, as everyone knows, has dropped way off due to COVID 19.
United is a major local carrier here and they've reduced their flights considerably. I understand that, but its unfortunate as I really liked their Denver red eye, which is one of the cancelled flights.
