A frequent customer of Brooks Brothers, President Abraham Lincoln commissioned an embroidered coat from the American clothing brand, which he wore on the night of his second Inauguration, as well as the night of his assassination. The jacket’s long, structured silhouette resembled that of his usual frock coat, but the interior featured a message embroidered in silk twill: an eagle holding a banner in its beak along with the words, “One Country, One Destiny.” Following President Lincoln’s assassination, First Lady Mary Lincoln gifted the coat to Lincoln’s favorite doorman, Alphonse Donn. Pieces of this bloodstained coat were taken as souvenirs, causing irreparable damage to the piece. This coat was photographed in 2007 by Carol M. Highsmith. Lincoln became president on March 4, 1861 and had earlier served in the House of Representatives.
A frequent customer of Brooks Brothers, President Abraham Lincoln commissioned an embroidered coat from the American clothing brand, which he wore on the night of his second Inauguration, as well as the night of his assassination. The jacket’s long, structured silhouette resembled that of his usual frock coat, but the interior featured a message embroidered in silk twill: an eagle holding a banner in its beak along with the words, “One Country, One Destiny.” Following President Lincoln’s assassination, First Lady Mary Lincoln gifted the coat to Lincoln’s favorite doorman, Alphonse Donn. Pieces of this bloodstained coat were taken as souvenirs, causing irreparable damage to the piece. This coat was photographed in 2007 by Carol M. Highsmith. Lincoln became president on March 4, 1861 and had earlier served in the House of Representatives.
