Thom Browne’s FW24 Couture Collection: Celebrating the Art of Process

Thom Browne’s Men’s and Women’s Couture Collection for Fall/Winter 2024, offers a fascinating exploration of the creative process. This collection, set against the historic backdrop of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, emphasizes the toile—the initial, often overlooked phase of couture design. Browne celebrates this phase by transforming it into the final garment, bringing the dream-like quality of muslin to life with extraordinary detail and craftsmanship.

The collection uses different weights of muslin and horsehair canvas to expose the intricate layers of work that go into creating couture garments. This approach recontextualizes classic tailoring by making typically hidden elements, such as chest canvasing, a central feature of the design. The use of hand-basting techniques to shape and structure the muslin and canvas highlights Browne’s commitment to preserving old-world craftsmanship while pushing the boundaries of contemporary fashion.

Set in a greige muslin-dressed salon, the atmosphere was both serene and charged with anticipation. The space featured muslin columns that echoed the Belle Époque architecture of the institution, creating a cohesive visual experience. As the show began, spectators dressed in custom muslin smocks watched as athletes, dressed in summer-weight cotton tailoring, competed in a tug-of-war, embodying the tension and strength that underpin the collection.

The garments themselves are sculptural works in progress, adorned with laurel leaves to symbolize victory. Browne deconstructs and reassembles hallmarks of American sport, creating organic, voluminous shapes that extend from strong shoulders and empire waists. The intricate construction process is laid bare, with hook-and-eye closures, raw edges, and cross-stitching all visible. Embroidered Grecian figures in sequins and bugle beads capture the grace of athletic movement, adding a dynamic layer to the collection.

Innovative pieces such as tailored sport coats, modular aprons, and lace-back pleated-front hourglass corsets demonstrate Browne’s ability to blend tradition with modernity. Strips of muslin, individually stitched to metallic threads and hand-knit into oversized cardigans, knife-pleated tennis skirts, and sheer trousers, showcase the collection’s dedication to meticulous detail. The inclusion of lace-up track heels and boots, mimicking the form of track athletes poised for a race, adds a final touch of athletic elegance.

The show culminates in a grand finale with a bride in a mermaid dress embroidered with mother-of-pearl artwork, symbolizing victory. As gold, silver, and bronze medalists take their places on the podium, the collection underscores the idea that couture is the Olympics of fashion. Thom Browne’s Fall/Winter 2024-2025 Couture Collection reveals the beauty in the process, celebrating heritage techniques and classic ideas reconceptualized through the lens of high fashion.

View the collection in the Gallery below:

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