While one might expect ensembles that are decadently and perfectly completed for haute couture, Thom Browne’s latest runway show instead embraced the creative process, peeling back the complex layers of tailoring. Ripping away from the particularities of a finished product, Thom Browne instead showcased the sport of the creative journey. With an additional twist, the collection pays tribute to the city of Paris’s upcoming role as host for the Summer Olympics, focusing on the realm of couture as an elevated game within fashion. Get set, go.
Courtesy of Thom Browne.
Musée des Arts Décoratifs and Thom Browne Go Hand in Hand
The Musée des Arts Décoratifs served as a seamless backdrop for Thom Browne’s latest couture ensembles. The hall featured a greige runway and muslin-covered columns that further contributed to the show’s neutral palette, and its Belle Époque architecture further pays tribute to the intricacies of traditional artistry.
Visitors arrived at the show bearing personalized muslin smocks with their names embroidered on Thom Browne’s classic red, white, and navy tags. Familiar onlookers included Anna Wintour, Serena Williams, Arlo Parks, and Omar Ayuso.
Courtesy of Thom Browne.
Courtesy of Thom Browne.
Hand-Crafted Pieces Depict the Layered Finesse in Thom Browne Tailoring
Thom Browne uplifted toile as the essential foundation and primary source for his latest couture designs. This round, the toile was also the show’s final accomplishment. By highlighting this aspect of the creative process, the 2024 Couture collection portrayed the sophistication of every detail within Thom Browne’s portfolio. The show featured 48 looks on the runway, all primarily made of toile and muslin details throughout, from tweed to petticoats to bag accessories.
Courtesy of Thom Browne.
Opening the show, the first look entitled “The Coach” circled the runway, featuring an elongated bal collar overcoat, a patch pocket sport coat, and a pleated skirt. The look included Thom Browne red, white, and navy cricketing–a consistent incorporation throughout the tailor’s creations. Most mesmerizing, however, was the golden laurel halo, an homage to the Grecian symbol of athletic victory.
Deconstructing the couture process, the ensembles all uplifted Thom Browne’s traditional craftsmanship. This was emphasized by Browne’s usage of the traditional hand basting technique with his muslin and canvas materials, a look into the designer’s reverence for classic techniques.
Photo by Sonny Vandevelde, courtesy of Thom Browne.
Both menswear and womenswear displayed the strong, yet often unseen, skeletons of tailoring, with re-shaped materials, hook-and-eye closures, raw-cut edges, and visible cross stitching. Ensembles were laden with hourglass corsets, bold and broad shoulders, and empire waists.
Courtesy of Thom Browne.
Courtesy of Thom Browne.
Paying homage to the golden glory of sports, various ensembles integrated intricate stitchings of classical Grecian motifs. Embroidered in sequins and bugle beads, pieces included outlines of the archer, javelinist, disc thrower, wrestler, and weightlifter. Other pieces saluted the shapes of water sports, with their toile materials hand-painted with bikini and swimmer outlines.
Shoes on the runway resembled the spikes of athletic cleats, as each look featured a couture spin on classic heritage trainers. Models sported Thom Browne’s heelless running spikes in muslin, including ankle and knee-high boots.
Courtesy of Thom Browne.
Thom Browne Concludes with a Podium Ceremony
Before the final walk, the runway presented three showstopping looks that represented an Olympic podium: bronze, silver, and gold. Models sported glistening jackets with degraded metallic foil and stacked bullion that met the couture collection’s toile ensembles. These medal-like looks were a final embellishment to the show, a testament to Thom Browne’s continuous craftsmanship and innovation and the sporty side of haute couture.
Courtesy of Thom Browne.
Courtesy of Thom Browne.
