As Paris braces for the Olympics, Thom Browne’s Fall/Winter 2024 Haute Couture show debuts as a celebration of athleticism and elegance, drawing inspiration from the event. Browne transformed the runway into a symbolic arena where fashion met sport, presenting a collection that honored the spirit of competition and excellence.
Thom Browne Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2024
The show began with a striking tableau: models in white blazers, sunglasses, and kilts linked by a tug-of-war rope. Throughout the collection, Browne maintained a palette of cream and neutrals, showcasing muslin—a fabric typically used in pattern drafting—elevated to a central role on the haute couture stage. Browne pushed the boundaries of couture with elaborate gilded headpieces and bold combinations of three-dimensional flowers. Intricate embroidery, resembling sculpted musculature and reminiscent of the provocative Bodies exhibition from the early 2000s, adorned a Victorian gown with a high neckline. The footwear featured avant-garde interpretations of classic cleats, embellished with gilded accents. Inspired by the ancient Greek origins of the Olympics, Browne incorporated motifs such as discus throwers and laurel wreaths. The show concluded with garments in bronze, silver, and gold tones, nodding to the upcoming Games.
Thom Browne Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2024
Guests received invitations in the form of atelier coats made from natural muslin, featuring the brand logo on the back and each guest’s name elegantly scripted on the front left pocket. They were asked to wear these coats to the show, highlighting muslin—the simple cotton fabric used for couture prototypes—as the focal point of Browne’s couture collection. Browne employed six distinct grades of muslin, selecting each based on its suitability for various techniques: lighter weights for frayed strips integrated into tweed or layered in millefeuille style along the sides of a coat dress, and heavier weights for exaggerated deconstructed tailoring. Even the yarn used in an open-work knitted cardigan was crafted from muslin wrapped around wire.
Thom Browne Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2024
His 48 ongoing projects were meticulously crafted, including hand-basted stitches between layers of horsehair on a jacket lapel. The process extended to the extensive effort involving 11,000 hours and 42 artisans collaborating around a table to achieve the intricate gold beading on a fitted jacket and pencil skirt with rouleau button details.
Thom Browne Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2024
Thom Browne’s Fall/Winter 2024 haute couture show aimed to capture the dynamism and prestige of the Olympics through the lens of high fashion, promising a visually striking and conceptually rich collection. My personal highlight of this show is undoubtedly how the collection deviates from the current microtrend – athleisure/ tenniscore – and introduces a completely refreshing breeze to the fashion industry.
Thom Browne Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2024