Thom Browne: New England meets Louis XVI

By

Godfrey Deeny

Published
Sep 29, 2019

A packed house for Thom Browne, as the American designer presented his latest humorous historical mix-up inside the Beaux Arts of Paris’ Left Bank.

"It’s my vision of a preppy New England with dolphins and puppies meeting the 18th century, and having a little fun along the way," Browne told FashionNetwork.com in a packed backstage, as a dozen TV crews waited patiently for an interview.
 
His stage set said it all: four young ladies perched on top of metal dolphins, all standing in a field of flowers made up of Browne’s favorite summer fabric – seersucker.

Right away he brought together two centuries: classic College Boy blazers, though many embossed or over printed with dolphins or pirate ships, and 18th-century crinolines, often worn fully uncovered.
 
The models marched with massive wigs worthy of The Madness of King George or the party scenes from Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette – each head covered with a veil. Walking ladylike on seersucker boots, their heels made in horizontal V shapes. Browne even gave a gang of senior paparazzi photographers seersucker coats to wear to add to the effect.
 
In among all the fashionable madness were lots of very wearable clothes. Pretty, polite and optimistic – like Browne and his brand.

And talk about a media following – The New York Times, Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazaar and a shipload of editors from American Vogue. Led by uber boss Anna Wintour, sitting beside Thom’s partner in life Andrew Bolton, the key curator of the iconic fashion museum – the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of New York.
 
For the finale, the girls all gently lifted each other’s veils to kiss delicately, as Tosca wafted out of the speakers.