Ahead of New York Fashion Week, designer Thom Browne connects with WWD to talk shop. Addressing the Thom Browne image, for both himself and the brand, the designer champions a distinct point of view. He explains, “Fashion needs people that are very clear on what they want to put in front of people. I’m very clear on this is what I want people to see. I think the idea of fashion and design changing every season is ridiculous.”
Discussing Browne’s successes as a designer, Mr Porter sales and buying director Toby Bateman suggests that men’s tailoring has been influenced by his signature slim lines. Bateman shares, “When he first [rede- fined the silhouette of the suit] the industry didn’t quite know what to make of it, but gradually this aesthetic got taken up by more and more men and more and more designers.” He continues, “However, it’s not just the fit that counted but also how, via the fabrics and the detail–particularly his signature red/white/ blue grosgrain–showed that even when you use something as classic as a gray flannel cloth, a man can still look and feel edgy or individual rather than feel ‘uniformed’ by his suit. This is clever.” Read more on WWD.com.