Tommy Ton can clock a look from down the block, but shooting street style for as long as he has, he’s come to appreciate gestures far more than brand signifiers. As creative director of Deveaux for the past four years, he and designer Andrea Tsao have never been tempted to put a logo on anything they’ve produced, and they’re not about to start.
In their new showroom on the border of SoHo and Chinatown, Ton was talking about the way certain clothes catch the wind and pointing to a cape-back top they made in a ivory poly plissé that, should a breeze stir up, will do just that. He spent a significant amount of time in California this year, and he said it affected his thinking on fabrics. In addition to that luscious pleated polyester, there’s a cotton gauze and a linen-cotton blend, all of which they chose for their lightness and wearability.
Adjustability was also on their minds as they worked on pre-fall. A dress with two sets of drawstrings, one at the shoulder and the other at the opposite hip, can be worn fitted or loose, which changes its attitude, and a zip-front parka comes with a modifiable capelet collar for multiple looks in one. A three-piece suit inverts that idea; it’s actually two pieces—the vest is attached to the inside of the jacket. They built a cardigan coat the same way, creating a layered effect without being weighed down by multiple items.
Shortly after New Year’s and pending how the Omicron variant impacts the men’s collection schedule, Ton is headed back out to shoot more street style. There’s a lot of performative dressing at the shows, but Ton and Tsao remain more interested in practicality and ease.
