Thom Browne’s Technically, Tailored Luxury Outerwear
The streetwear trend shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon, but in an increasingly saturated market, leave it to Thom Browne to deliver a refreshing point of view with tailored streetwear his most recent collection. Inspired by his own school days, the designer takes modern streetwear silhouettes and seamlessly blends the shapes with a traditional prep school vibe. Classic checks and plaids, cable knits, bold stripes, and exquisite tailoring exude a classic take on the oh-so-popular streetwear look dominating the fashion scene.
“I think a lot of people see what I do as just tailoring” Browne explains, “but there is so much sportswear within the collection as well, and that’s been probably the most recent development.” Of course it wouldn’t be Thom Browne without his fundamental suiIting; however, this season he pushes the envelope with an updated look that swaps trousers for shorts. Calf-grazing outerwear and bin bag style leg warmers tied with red and blue striped ribbons compensate for the shorts’ added exposure to the cold. In addition to ultra puffy leg warmers were long, quilted puffer coats; some models even wore full suits made of the same fabric, pitching an urban appeal to an otherwise formal ensemble. Patched knee and elbow cut outs contribute to the street style aesthetic, but finished in the classic Thom Browne red and blue stripe, read more refined rather than edgy.
There is an undeniably retrospective academic element pervading the show, thoughtfully executed through the model’s braids, shawl collar sweaters, and athletic style outerwear. Most looks were cohesive all in all — fair-isle suiting (featuring Thom Browne’s pup, Hector of course) was paired with outerwear rendered in an identical pattern, while a cable knit pant and vest was styled with corresponding cable knit outerwear. Ankle cuffs were tall and exaggerated on the looks featuring pants rather than shorts — a technique sure to replace the tiny pin-rolled cuffs we’ve seen as of late.