The Tamesis
Thom Browne has emphasized the depth and breadth of his products as he has opened stores across the United States over the past few years. With this series, he said, he planned to do something different. “I wanted to make sure I reintroduced the reason people come to me, which is really proportional tailoring. So it really started there,” he explains.
Of course, Browne’s signature cuts and silhouettes are unique. From a mile away you can see a neatly dressed man or woman wearing brown clothing. It’s these details that are so refreshing. This season, he took those details from the painter Grandma Moses. “What’s really interesting is how she started so late,” 78, in fact. “I think the simplicity of her life and the quintessentially American feel of her paintings is really beautiful.”
Anna Mary Robertson Moses lived and worked over 100 years old, but her art still retains a childlike, innocent quality. One of her folkloric scenes was woven into the fabric of a short coat, matching an all-print skirt suit underneath. It is faithful to the original work, but the craftsmanship required is also the most complex. Other special pieces feature an oversized lobster intarsia, which is why Brown chose the crustacean because of its New England connotations.
Likewise New England style, with prep school references and the sturdy military-woven cashmere he developed for tailoring. “It’s very compact and not as soft as cashmere sometimes is,” explains Brown. “The snob appeal is that with wear, it gets better and better. It’s almost like you won’t appreciate the fabric. The second owner will appreciate it even more.” Grandma Moses could get by.
