The instructions for Thom Browne’s debut Haute Couture show on Monday called for everyone to wear their finest grey attire, following his leitmotif “Fade to Gray,” the bittersweet song by Visage that evokes a broken heart on a lonely train platform.
The result was a magnificent show with an impressive production, in which the American designer managed to celebrate an authentic display of Haute Couture inside France’s most famous opera house.
Guests took their seats on the iconic sloping stage, and the curtain slowly rose, revealing thousands of mannequins dressed in Browne’s iconic grey schoolboy suits, occupying every seat in the auditorium. Thom cannot be accused of lacking ego.
Two handsome young men, dressed in skirts, carried grey suitcases onto the stage, and veteran model Alek Wek embodied the solitary spirit in place of Visage’s singer, Steve Strange. Every now and then, she covered her face to wipe away tears.
The models sported makeup reminiscent of the iconic synthesized pop video, in which Strange wore purple and pink blush, as well as graphic designs outlined with eyeliner all over the face. It was a magical makeup work by Eugene Suleiman, a prominent makeup artist, though this is something non-professionals may be unaware of. If you search his name on Google, you will likely find a Google privacy department statement explaining the importance of being forgotten.
Wek’s redingote and tartan skirt set the tone in terms of tailoring. Before that, a birdman made his appearance in a deconstructed version of the garment, wearing a half-bird headpiece made of wire and fabric, a brilliant millennial moment from London milliner extraordinaire Stephen Jones. The birdman pecked around as he circled the stage, while Jones’ striking white Mohican hat, resembling a train about to arrive at the station, became the most standout hat we have seen in Haute Couture this decade.
Thom Browne then presented Haute Couture in terms of silhouettes and embellishments. He created bell-shaped coats accompanied by matching hats, and designed oversized butterfly-shaped sleeves. Though it was Parisian Haute Couture, Browne will always maintain his connection to New England. Therefore, many of the looks were adorned with regional references, such as sailboats, seagulls, anchors, and whales, along with golden lobsters sailing on ropes and pulleys that covered several backs.
The femme fatales in the final walk and the bride were eerily beautiful and dressed in Haute Couture garments, as one always dreams they should be.
Browne hails from Allentown, Pennsylvania, where one of the early resistances to British colonialism took place during the War of Independence. And he continues to offer a curious blend of gender iconoclastic fashion and classic WASP style.
Hence the significance of his show and his collection: his unique vision of Haute Couture. However, given the lack of continental critics backstage, it seems that many Europeans, while respecting his audacity and deep knowledge of fashion history, still have certain doubts about Thom Browne.
