While the Brooks Brothers company is 200 years old, the core symbol of its logotype is even older – it has its roots in the Greek mythology.
America’s oldest men’s clothier was established in 1818 by Henry Sands Brooks. Today, the company is still based in Manhattan. In addition to men’s clothes, the range also includes apparel for women, as well as a separate line for Asian customers.
The name “Golden Fleece” refers to the legendary ram from Greek mythology, which, was sought by the Argonauts. Since then, the symbol has been used in quite a few contexts.
For instance, back in the 15th century, a depiction of a lamb on a ribbon was used by The Order of the Golden Fleece, which was created by the Duke of Burgundy. The reason why the Duke, who was nicknamed Philip the Good, used this symbol was very simple: he got much of his fortune due to his elite wool flocks.
The symbol has been used by the company as its trademark since the 1850s. The idea to adopt it belonged to Henry S. Brooks, who noticed a sheep mascot in elite London shops. There, the emblem was used to identify the places were the finest woolen clothes could be bought. Having returned from his trip to London, Henry S. Brooks ordered to paint the sheep above the shop door.
Most likely, the wordmark either has been drawn by hand or features a heavily customized typeface. The beautiful script, which reminds handwriting, adds a vintage touch. Having a lot in common with the Edwardian Scr Alt ITC font, it is still far from being its exact copy.
The Brooks Brothers logo is typically given in dark blue against a white background. A reversed color scheme is also acceptable. You may also encounter the logo in gold on a dark blue background.