Thom Browne is in a class by himself in American fashion. The master runway storyteller hosted a story hour to close out New York Fashion Week, with a staging of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” that was a phantasmagoria of poetry and craft, but commercial at its core.
The set centered around a ginormous black puffer-coated tree, with branch arms and a skirt full of children who emerged after Janet Jackson and Queen Latifah finally took their seats and we could begin.
Out came the protagonist, love-lost Lenore, striking up a conversation with the raven with a swirl of black birds on her coat and headdress, as Poe’s supernatural poem was recited until it ended with the taunting, haunting “Nevermore, nevermore, nevermore.”
The Gothic tale was the backdrop for Browne’s classic tailoring taking a darker turn for fall 2024, in a moment when pop culture can’t get enough of horror — and fashion, at least this week, can’t get enough of tailoring.
Building off his couture show in Paris in July, and his pre-fall collection released last month, rather than too much embellishment, the designer concentrated on strong sportswear silhouettes — imposing, boxy, narrow and curvy on top, and trouser skirts, miniskirts, skinny pants, trousers and shorts on the bottom.
Of course there were showstoppers, like the gold-leaf and raven intarsia cocoon coat stripped off during the finale to reveal a pannier overskirt, gold-leaf pants and a gold bouillon cable knit cardigan (wow). Hourglass-shaped looks constructed of layers upon layers of jackets and shirts on top of caged underpinnings brought to mind Rei Kawakubo, while pencil skirts and trenchcoats bound by multiple fabric belts hinted at haute bondage gear.
But the biggest fashion storyline was wearability.
For underneath the antennae-like braids and black fingernail talons were a lot of pieces a woman could invest in without having to subscribe to the total Thom Browne look. That might be a chic-as-hell tuxedo ensemble, like the super high-waisted black cummerbund skirt, white shirt, necktie and black bolero with braided fringe that would turn heads anywhere, or a great piece of outerwear for everyday, such as the elegant black overcoat with dropped grosgrain trimmed lapels.
Browne really expanded on his assortment of outerwear to include a boxy patchwork tweed jacket with grosgrain ribbon lacing at the cuffs and “Nevermore” across the back that hewed close to punk; an elegant country mackintosh with black velvet sleeves; Thom’s version of a shearling jacket with plaid and stripe play, and a twisted prep padded-shoulder peacoat that was one of the best in a week full of them.
Extra attention was also paid to shirting, including quilted white button-downs worn like jacket liners, and tights scattered with roses, paired with a sheer skirt that pushed the brand into sexy new territory.
Preppy button cover purses, plastic-covered shoes and bags, rubber galoshes, tights with ravens and roses added to the Zegna Group brand’s impressive product mix that’s expanding evermore, evermore, evermore.
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