Thom Browne

So awhile back, I became a member of this website called Gilt Groupe. I'm a little late to the game, but for those of you who don't know, it's a website that has steeply-discounted 36-hour sales on selected designer labels. It's a pretty clever operation in my opinion for a few reasons. From the label's viewpoint, it spares them the negative connotations of having a bunch of sale inventory hanging idly on sales floor racks. That the website is "invitation only" adds a layer, albeit thin, of exclusivity to the operation. And the limited timeframe of each sale creates, at least with me, the feeling that one must ACT FAST in order to get the items of one's choosing. At up to 70% off, it's a bargain, right?!

Well, earlier this week, the website began a sale for the Thom Browne label. While Hedi Slimane is widely credited with shrinking the overall silhouette of menswear in the early years of the century during his stint at Dior Homme, Thom Browne also played a part in the "childman" phenomenon by creating slim suits with high arm holes, shortened sleeves, and hems that barely made it below the calf. He has continued to experiment with the male silhouette, playing at times with skirts, capelets, and schoolboy uniforms. And while I can intellectually appreciate that someone out there is pushing the boundaries of menswear, I am always left wondering whether the impracticality of such a practice, in an artform that is explicitly consumer-driven, makes any sense. After all, the only skirts that western men buy are utilikilts, and those only survive thanks to a heavy counteractive dose of masculinity (e.g., cargo pockets, textiles pulled from blue-collar uniforms, and Braveheart).

Even the proportions of Thom Browne's most basic suit would make any normal person look, well, weird. The shortened pants enlarge the feet and shorten the leg, creating a Humpty Dumpty look on anyone who is not incredibly thin and incredibly tall. All of this for the low low price tag of $5K+! Or buy now on Gilt Groupe for just $2K! I dunno. While the fabrics and craftsmanship may represent an advanced level of sartorial perfection, the label's purpose seems totally misplaced within the framework of our new jittery economy. Will the new life of heritage brands like Gant and Woolrich come at the expense of labels like Thom Browne? Keep an eye on the nexus of these two worlds -- Brooks Brothers -- who hired Thom Browne to design their Black Fleece collection. If that relationship can last, then perhaps so too can his eponymous line.

Norma Kamali


photo courtesy of nytimes.com

Today's Times presents us a profile of Norma Kamali. First of all, I dream of looking as good as she does at 63. But more interesting than Kamali's weekly tai chi regimen is the way in which she's evolved her business over time. Certainly, she's enjoying popularity at the moment in part due to the resurgence of all things 80s. After all, Kamali was the force behind the marriage of athletic wear and fashion in that time period. More importantly, however, the profile depicts her as someone willing and able to change and thus survive in the fickle world of fashion. The author argues that those moves have been initiated by will of the designer. I'm not convinced, and find it more plausible that market forces have necessitated many of her decisions (e.g., selling a line of clothing at Wal-Mart). Still, it is commendable that she's weathered the whims of the fashion world for decades without outside investors, experimenting all along the way. Younger designers, heretofore relying on models dependent on moneyed conglomerates and hyper-rich patrons should take note. Adapt or die.


A selection from Kamali's current swimsuit line.
Photo courtesy of normakamalicollection.com