“Vintage” and “sporty” are two aesthetics that don’t typically have much to do with each other. But Thom Browne found a way to get them talking this season, reaching back to flapper-era college prep in a collection that evolved his signature uniform look to include drop-waist pleated dresses, varsity jackets, and beaver coats. Browne’s riffs on the letterman were particularly witty: Alongside his cropped bombers in fabrications such as plastic-textured patent leather and astrakhan, he made coats and dresses that nipped at the waist thanks to a pleating technique suggestive of the iconic jacket’s elastic cuffs and waistband. A grayscale check coat in that hourglass silhouette transcended both the references, achieving a timeless, grown-up soigné.
There were a good number of matter-of-fact looks here: fur-tipped melton coats; classic Thom Browne cropped blazers updated courtesy of slightly bolder shoulders and lapels; undemanding knee-length skirts in full and pencil shapes. But Browne’s playful side was much in evidence, too—his jacquards with a micro pattern of bags and shoes will surely bring a smile to any accessory lover’s face; ditto for dachshund fans, the crystal embellishments in tribute to Browne’s pup Hector. Elsewhere, Browne’s playfulness got a conceptual workout in shirtdresses comprised entirely of deconstructed button-downs. We may be seeing more of that idea come Fall, according to Browne. This collection, light on formal ambition but strong in pep, will keep the Browne clientele very happy in the meantime.
