Brooks Brothers has unveiled a luxury boutique in New Delhi with new locations expected to roll out this year. Founded in Manhattan in 1818, Brooks Brothers is a historic icon on the American retail landscape

Well known for its suiting and shirting, it was the first US brand to offer ready-to-wear (an unheard of concept before 1845) and introduced Madras prints and seersucker suits to the US market.

With a new 1,800 square ft store in Ambience Mall, Brooks Brothers has brought its classic American business-prep style to the sub-continent in an effort to chase the aspirational Indian customer.

Five new stores are expected this year, a rapid burst due to the Indian goverment’s recent decision to relax rules on foreign-owned retailers. A second Indian Brooks Brothers store will open in Gurgaon (next to New Delhi) this week. This will be joined by new mall-based stores in Chandigarh and Chennai and freestanding locations in Bangalore and Hyderabad.

Brooks Brothers has been present in Japan for over 30 years, but the brand’s more recent expansion has focused on fast-growing markets in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore. The first Indonesian store opened in Dec. 2012.

Famed for dressing a series of presidents and world leaders, the brand is also one of the partners for this year’s film version of The Great Gatsby, and supplies clothes for TV’s “Mad Men”.

Avant-garde fashion lovers aren’t left out either: a succesful tie-in with New York designer Thom Browne led to the creation of the brand’s luxury ‘Black Fleece’ label.

Store address: Shop No.UG- 030, Upper Ground Floor, Ambience Mall, Nelson Mandela Marg, Vasant Kunj, Phase-II, New Delhi 110070