Thom Browne Wins Olympic Gold in Paris
Photo: via NYT
How Haute Couture Redefines Olympus-Inspired Elegance
Designer Thom Browne has always transcended boundaries in fashion. He has a unique way of creating styles that, while not necessarily wearable for the everyday person, often resemble works of art that go beyond fashion. He embodies the glamour and extravagance the fashion industry is known for. Last week, Browne debuted his Fall 2024 couture show at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. The timing of this collection could not have been more perfect, with Browne drawing inspiration from the Olympic Games and their Greek origins. The garments incorporated various aspects of athleisure and Olympic symbolism to create a distinctive collection. The forty-eight monochromatic looks he featured were made of muslin, a fabric typically used in the early stages of designing a garment. As the show notes stated, “The toile as the source text… The toile as the finale garment… The work-in-progress becomes the final work… Couture.”
Photo: via NYT
His use of muslin for the garments makes the collection more captivating. Muslin is a lightweight natural fabric made from cotton. It has many uses when it comes to fashion. However, in the couture industry, the fabric is used for samples (or ‘toiles’) or the beginning stages of a garment. In the couture industry, the muslin version of creations almost never get seen by the public. Browne using the fabric in the final stages of his collection highlights the construction process and places it at the forefront, allowing people to look backstage behind the curtain. The collection almost looks like Browne paused his construction process to show the garments to the public before creating the final garment. The use of this fabric gives the collection an unfinished feel but the intricacies of the garment make it far from that. He used different weights of muslin for different techniques and garments. For example, he used heavier weighted muslin to create his more tailored pieces and lighter muslin for details such as fridge and yarns. His collections make muslin appear as a classy couture fabric with his intricate construction and attention to detail.
Photo: Kay-Paris Fernandes via W Magazine
It was clear through his designs that Browne was heavily inspired by the Olympic Games and ancient Greece. The set included an Olympic podium of sorts, and all the models wore various styles of shoes resembling cleats. One look featured a detailed laurel wreath headpiece, harking back to ancient Greece and often depicted on the Greek god Apollo in classical art. Some dresses were adorned with red swimsuits and shorts, paying homage to the popular Olympic sport of swimming. Many models carried fans with embroidered faces and artwork reminiscent of Greek art. For the finale, Browne presented three looks with bronze, silver, and gold jackets symbolizing the medals awarded to Olympic athletes.
“It was about playing with the reference of being here in Paris and the Olympics. But the collection based everything on where couture starts, with the muslins and the toiles, and using the toiles as the final garments,” Browne said. “Then we went into the work in progress, fabrications, and embroidery. Even the pattern work for the simple pieces was probably the most I’ve ever done.”
Innovation Meets Thom Browne’s Signature Style
Even with his couture being heavily inspired by the Olympics and his use of muslin, Browne still included his design signatures in the collection. The runway looks were styled with layers of tailoring featuring heavy, oversized silhouettes, a hallmark of Browne's style. Many pieces were adorned with his signature three stripes on the trim in white, navy blue, and red, enhancing the athletic symbolism of the collection. Additionally, it wouldn't be a Thom Browne collection without featuring Hector, the brand's dog mascot. The dog appeared as a handbag carried by some models down the runway. Despite drawing inspiration from one of the world's biggest sporting events, Browne's distinctive signatures remained recognizable. It is remarkable how he can let his inspiration shine through while still creating a quintessential Thom Browne collection.
Designer Thom Browne Backstage Photo: Acielle and Style Du Monde via Vogue
I could not help but fall in love with this collection. The amount of detail and passion that Browne exudes is seen in every garment. One garment took 42 people 11,000 hours to complete. I love that he was able to make different textures from just one material and use it to mimic different fabrics such as tweed and chiffon. Muslin is typically a fabric that is overlooked and is often a fabric seen only behind the scenes in couture. I love that he was able to put a spotlight on the fabric and make it versatile. On some of the looks, he included raw and unfinished hems, which further emphasizes the beauty of the undone garment along with the use of muslin. This shows how excellent of a designer he is. He is so good at intersecting the characteristics of sportswear with high fashion and couture.
Photo: Acielle and Style Du Monde via Vogue
This is only Thom Browne’s second haute couture collection and he has already made a name for himself within the couture industry. His unique designs and concepts set him apart from his other counterparts, with some being in the couture industry for decades. In the industry where it is easy to get burned out and create the same garments for every collection, Browne is a dime a dozen. He has been able to fully push the boundaries of design and construction with both his ready to wear and couture lines. This collection was done with this in mind. I am excited for what he will bring to the table with his next couture collection.
