Thom Browne will return to New York Fashion Week for the February 2024 showcase.
Last year, the designer decided to forego the Spring/Summer 2024 presentations in September after debuting his Haute Couture collection in Paris for the first time ever. However, following his year hiatus from the fashion festivities at home, Browne is scheduled to show on 14 February, capping the upcoming seven-day affair.
This won’t be the first time Browne’s presented on Valentine’s Day. On 14 February 2023, the famed artist gave a nod to his partner, Andrew Bolton, at the end of his Fall 2023 Read-to-Wear show. Promptly after taking his bow, the romantic handed Bolton a box of chocolates.
The couple, who’ve been dating since 2011, recently purchased property upstate in Germantown, Teviotdale. Built in 1973 and designed by Walter Livingston, the home, which is now on the National Register of Historic Places, once belonged to Robert Fulton. This is the second property Browne and Bolton have bought – the 1920s Sutton Place mansion owned by Anne Vanderbilt being their first.
The new property seems to be Browne’s muse for his Pre-Fall collection, reconfiguring era-appropriate codes to be reflected in his new garments and accessories. While we’ve seen the brand perfectly encapsulate recherche structuring in bolder couture pieces, resort, and ready-to-wear, Browne seems to step away from his unexampled style for this collection. Instead, America’s pioneer tailoring is revisited with fitted jackets, matching accordion mid-length skirts, and long overcoats.
Additionally, Browne’s Pre-Fall womenswear line pays homage to Edgar Allan Poe’s Macabre and the poet’s trademark raven with a new bag like the brand’s iconic Hector. The raven, and roses, are reflected elsewhere in the collection, stitched and printed on a few fabrics. Tartan and tweed can be seen in the collection’s suiting as well.
For the official lookbook, models cast dark shadows with bold black lipstick – a salute to an omnipresence of horror, historically and presently.
When asked whether he thought his new home in Germantown was creepy, Browne told Women’s Wear Daily: “Well, it’s a little creepy now because it needs so much work. But we’re looking forward to the project.”
Thom Browne’s stamp – a red, white and blue stripe – is not lost, appearing on jacket arms and pockets, as well as handbag and heel tags. Bermuda bags are made to be more “Browne” with handles made from faux tortoiseshell, not wood. Thus, celebrating and manipulating Ivy style.
