346 is the address of the New York flagship
When browsing pre-owned Brooks Brothers clothing, you may come across a label bearing the number 346. How does it differ from other Brooks Brothers clothing? It helps to separate the history of the address from the history of the name on garments.
According to the brand’s official history, Brooks Brothers moved to 346 Madison Avenue in 1915, following the completion of Grand Central Terminal. The number is therefore, first of all, an address associated with the brand’s historic flagship. Source: Brooks Brothers Japan — official history
A 346 label does not mean a garment was made in 1915. The history of the address and the manufacturing date of the piece in your hands are different kinds of information.
346 also appears on older vintage clothing
Brooks Brothers’ official Vintage Shop has listed a “Vintage 346 Hopsack Blazer, 1980s”: an American-made wool blazer presented by the brand as a vintage piece from that decade. Source: Brooks Brothers — official Vintage Shop
This example shows why the 346 name cannot be associated only with recent products. Equally, the details of that blazer cannot be applied to a different 346 shirt. Age and country of manufacture need to be checked garment by garment.
Later, 346 also referred to a lower-priced retail offering
The introduction to the 2013 NBER working paper “Multichannel Spillovers from a Factory Store” uses Brooks Brothers as an example of retail channels. Alongside regular stores and factory stores, it describes Brooks Brothers 346 stores as selling products at a lower price point than regular stores. Source: NBER Working Paper 19176
The number thus also has a connection with a differently priced product offering. But that account describes retail channels at the time. It does not establish identical specifications for every 346 garment from every period, or determine the condition and value of an individual pre-owned piece.
What to check when choosing a pre-owned 346 shirt
Look beyond the number to four practical details:
Measurements: compare chest width, shoulder width and sleeve length with a shirt that fits you, using the same measuring method.
Fabric: read the fibre composition, whether cotton or a blend, and consider the feel you want.
Country of manufacture and the complete label: look at the care and fit information, not just the number.
Condition: check the collar and cuffs for wear, along with marks and missing buttons.
Before deciding that 346 is a reason to buy—or to avoid—a garment, consider its shape, fit, condition and price. That is more useful when choosing something to wear in everyday life.
A small number opens a window onto the history of a flagship address and retail lines. Let the label guide your research, then judge the actual piece in front of you.