thom browne

What would fashion be without a little bit of fantasy? Thom Browne has a recognizable silhouette that's narrow, short, and something Tony Curtis would have worn in "Sweet Smell of Success." It's nostalgic, modern, and oddly romantic. His recent collaboration with Brooks Brothers would lead one to believe that maybe he has softened his typical display of completely unwearable almost couture like pieces that he masterfully crafts for his idiosyncratic shows. His focus is not only executing his aesthetic vision but giving the clothes a weight and statement that makes them more than rehashed looks from days gone by. For spring the puzzling details were there and the message was no less potent than in past seasons.

Using activewear (swimwear, tennis whites) as his starting point Browne pushed his audiences to think about what it means to be American in the world right now, or if it's even possible due to its vague and ever-changing definition. The activewear and other traditional pieces were shredded, shortened, tied behind models backs, or shrouded in rosettes. What does it all mean? Living in a country under the "leadership" of bullish, wannabe alpha male who is often characterized as weak, indecisive, and without direction (stereotypical adjectives we unfortunately associate with women) could be a good start as it has set a new precedent for neo-models of masculinity and its connection to power, prestige, and privilege. Ideas of traditional maleness are antiquated because of the incompetence of our dearly beloved Mr. Bush, hence the irreverent and subversive use of red, white, and blue Americana schmaltz that was found in almost every look. Browne was also smart enough to realize that fashion is a perfect platform for his political message because the very idea of fashion being something accessible, attractive, and alluring for men is an instant demerit of their supposed masculinity.

There were wearable pieces such as the trench coat with epaulettes, a neat black-and-white raincoat, and those great diagonally striped polos. It's easy to dismiss what Browne's adventuresome, frothy confections because you have to really look at what his clothes mean because he is one of the few menswear designers with a specific point of view that dares to exploring new territories of presentation and using it as a forum for ideas, concepts, and much needed discourse. With a collection like this, silence is not an option.

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