Only upon leaving the walk-through with Thom Browne, in his upscale institutional showroom situated in the heart of high-end Paris, did the perfect description of his two most recent collections come to mind: prep-à-porter!
Apologies, Thom, if you dislike the wordplay. But as a continuation of his Spring ‘19, Pre-Fall once again riffs on American preppy codes through the tradition and fine execution of ready-to-wear, twisting classic tailoring and fabrics with a certain Parisian flair. Looks featured patchwork striped rep fabrics; varsity jackets that descended towards the knees; and patterns of ducks (replacing Hector the dog, apparently). Yet there was also delicate Lesage embroidery and handwoven tweed. The net effect was somewhat bipolar in its youthful-sophisticated duality; yet the clothes had all-ages appeal.
As usual, experimental techniques coexisted with sartorial precision; the fraying that had resulted from washing certain fabrics felt eccentrically on-brand, as did the perfectly shrunken jackets and roomy men’s coats. Browne emphasized his interest in a “half calf” skirt length, saying, “For me it feels really strong and really young.”
Without prompt, he singled out an ample sack jacket and wide column dress that looked like an oversize pant leg, both in a peppery Donegal tweed, as the key statement of the collection. But certain sportier and evening looks were just as persuasive; from a jacket that had its bastings and linings on the outside, to a tunic embroidered with a silvery landscape scene that looked even more original when worn over an extra-long white shirt.
Browne noted that while the pre-collections speak to reality compared to the high-impact, couture-approximate approach he favors for the runway, there remains a through line. “If [an idea] is strong in the women’s collection, it doesn’t go away—it just might play out in items that are easier.”
Intentional or not, this seemed like an acknowledgement of the October show in which cheerful allusions to Cape Cod were destabilized with unhinged proportions, horror-movie-style masks, arms bound tight to bodies, and mismatched heels that were accidents waiting to happen. Here, white long underwear cuffed with the Thom Browne tricolor grosgrain was a harmless leitmotif—night and day in comfort terms. Still, this reviewer was reminded of her high school uniform and the classmates who layered sweatpants under their kilts. Then as now, the combination was stylistically rebellious—bunched-up leggings as a counterpoint to the sharply tailored investment pieces. Let’s just say this sums up prep-à-porter. And we have Thom Browne to thank if it catches on.
