What It’s Like to Attend a Thom Browne Show at Fashion Week

“You never forget your first Thom Browne show,” my seatmate tells me as we settle into a dark auditorium on the last day of New York Fashion Week FW25. It’s my fifth time attending the renowned days-long event, but this show feels different. Not unlike your earliest heart-aching crush or your first-ever experience behind the wheel, there’s something about witnessing Thom Browne’s artistry in real life that penetrates the psyche and stays.

Known for his distorted take on archetypal American menswear (particularly the grey suit), Thom Browne subverts classic codes to convey a sense of weirdness. Championing bloated silhouettes, skewed proportions and trompe l’oeil overlays, he skews the age-old image of put-together prestige. And at fashion week, he warrants special attention because of it.

Thom Browne’s FW25 show draws the ultimate celebrity crowd

I’ve been to many a star-studded fashion presentation — and shamelessly approached A-listers at each — so at this point, a room filled with celebrities doesn’t phase me. But at the Thom Browne show, everything is heightened.

Held on the top floor of a cultural centre in Hudson Yards, I’m welcomed by brand representatives in tasteful ashy suits and pleated skirts (the Thom Browne uniform). As I walk into the dark presentation room, I see two thousand origami birds erected around the runway — some hanging from the ceiling, others scattered along the floor. Soft chirps play through unseen speakers while high-profile attendees shuffle in.

I realize this is the kind of top-tier fashion week show where famous people are all around, and hyper-excited fanfare is decidedly not done. Case in point: I keep running into Anna Wintour. Wearing sunglasses, a perfectly precise bob and a nonchalant expression, she looks inscrutable and fabulous — a true queen — while chatting with Thom Browne’s husband Andrew Bolton. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because Bolton is the curator of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. He and Wintour work closely together each year to orchestrate the Met Gala, making them two of the most powerful players in the fashion industry.

I see Cara Delevigne, sporting strong eyebrows and a model-esque expression as she chats with Kerry Washington. A pre-Oscar-winning Adrien Brody is looking for his seat as Queen Latifah enters last minute. Elsewhere, Real Housewives of New York’s Jenna Lyons is in the front row next to Gossip Girl’s Evan Mock — a poetic coalescence of the NYC upper-crust cinematic universe. Each of these stars, spanning industries and aesthetic identities, looks impressively at ease in Thom Browne. Perhaps that’s because the high-fashion brand isn’t for one boxed-in archetype; it’s for those who want an escape. In that way, Thom Browne is an equalizer of sorts. Social statuses in the room may vary, but we’re all about to be pupils of something great.

The theatrics of a Thom Browne fashion week show are like no other

The storytelling starts with the set — where two caged paper birds sit in the centre, longing to be free. As models walk into the space, they represent otherworldly visitors. Leaning into the freedom of flying away, they sport feathery-long lashes, illustrative embroidery and pleats that evoke their origami counterparts. As always, pieces are punctuated by hallmarks of traditional menswear with contrasting elbow patches, exaggerated collars and old-timey cuffs.

Throughout, there is a focus on transformation. Trompe l’oeil dresses lie flat on petticoats. Sharply tailored trenches flow into shredded skirts. Loud patterns are layered, conveying a maximalist metamorphosing effect. “I like for [my] to almost feel superhuman,” I remember hearing Thom Browne say once in an interview with Vogue. “I like the idea of my shows being fantasy.” Indeed, the dreamy world-building roots you in the space. There’s an undeniable feeling of attentiveness; even the aloof Anna Wintour seems utterly taken.

Is it the theme of freedom during an oppressive era? Is it the melancholic piano soundtrack, taken from the film White Bird? Or is it the expert balance of cartoonish whimsy with heavy longings for escape? Now I see what my seatmate was saying: these designs are more than clothes, they’re entry points for new ideas.

Tears well up in my eyes when the final look emerges, a sumptuous gown that symbolizes a rare bird, worn by model Alek Wek. Comprising a gold embroidered suit jacket and a ball skirt draped with 40 meters of heritage tweed, the ensemble blends Thom Browne’s menswear codes with the collection’s over-arching theme of limitlessness.

Beyond fashion week FW25, the Thom Browne effect is only growing

In recent years, Thom Browne has risen to prominence for its specific brand of alt wonderfulness, similar to Maison Margiela. Just like the latter’s hoof-toe Tabis have exploded into the zeitgeist, the former’s twisted take on menswear has catapulted into the mainstream.

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande tapped the designer for custom looks during their viral Wicked press tour. Ayo Edebiri’s hike to style stardom has become synonymous with her love for the brand’s suited gowns. Thom Browne looks are often praised as the best at every red carpet, including the Met — where, in 2024, the designer dressed a stunning nine guests. This year, Thom Browne’s singular suiting will likely only become more popular, with the Met Gala dress code pegged to the art of tailoring.

To see the extent of the brand’s current cultural hold, look no further than Doechii, who recently made history at the Grammys in an array of Thom Browne ensembles. At the awards show, the artist wore four custom looks by the designer, presenting an aesthetically warped image in each. Blending over-the-top ballgowns with pinstripe suiting and sexy off-the-shoulder silhouettes with buttoned-up neckties, her Thom Browne uniform encapsulated her boundary-breaking artistry like no other brand could.

How did Thom Browne become a fashion week power player, celebrity magnet and red carpet ruler? Leaving the show, the answer became clear to me. The brand has managed to go mainstream by breaking rules, queering binaries and setting new style standards. Thom Browne is about more than wearing pretty clothes. It’s about cracking open a new side of yourself each time you get dressed.