Thom Browne Spring Summer Fashion Show
Thom Browne | Spring Summer 2023 | Fashion Show
A while back, whilst in Paris, Thom Browne caught a version of the Cinderella story at the magnificent gilded folly that is the Opéra Garnier. I suspect it was Cendrillon by Jules Massenet. This afternoon Browne returned to Napoleon III’s most magnificently OTT architectural memento to present a production of his own: what he called “An American prom mixed with Cinderella mixed with the Paris Opera.”
Just in case we didn’t know what to expect, Gwendoline Christie provided disambiguation. She emerged in a full-length single-breasted white-piped braided blazer—double vented—and some marvelous golden sandals with little effigies of Hector (who got lots of walkies this season) at the front of each foot. After a slow mosey around the golden halls she returned to ours and began spritzing herself in cologne and brushing her locks. And then she told us of what was to come: “Thom loves his little stories—and this is going to be a very long story.”
We settled into our golden chairs. And the story went a little bit like this. Four rouge-lipped hot boys came and removed Christie’s dressing table, wearing quintessential Browne gray tailoring and kilt: salarymen at a Scottish reel. Then came 21 opera coats—the first in a tri-clolor arrangement—with collegiate numbers on each back: I noted every number. The came five frock coats, and three swing skirts with petticoats, plus one white witch extra. And then all 21 coat-wearers returned with their unders revealed: all polka dot tailoring and pastels and peek-a-boo underwear. As a Brit, it was impossible not to see the tradition of pantomime—but was this a projection?
The best section by far ran 52 to 56, when the punks invaded the assembly. Westwood was an unavoidable comparison, but it was convincingly great (as was Joan Jett on the PA) unto itself.
#ThomBrowne #FashionShow #TheFrontRow