Thom Browne Haute Couture Fall Winter 2024-25 “Unfinished Artistry”. Story by RUNWAY MAGAZINE. Photo Courtesy: Thom Browne.
Muslin, a humble cotton fabric traditionally used in the creation of couture toiles (preliminary models), took center stage in Thom Browne Fall Winter 2024-25 collection. Known for his meticulous attention to detail, Browne’s exploration of this simple material might initially seem uncharacteristic. However, this collection unveiled the raw beauty of the design process, celebrating unfinished, in-progress artistry as a form of ultimate perfection.
The collection featured 48 “works-in-progress,” each piece a revelation of painstaking craftsmanship. From a jacket adorned with hand-basted stitches between layers of horsehair to an outfit requiring over 11,000 hours of labor and the collaboration of 42 artisans to achieve its intricate beading, Browne pushed the boundaries of material and method. He utilized six different weights of muslin, each chosen for its suitability to different design techniques—from the light muslin used for frayed strips woven into a tweed texture to a heavier variant structured into deconstructed tailoring.
A dramatic moment unfolded halfway down the runway: models paused, posing or twirling, their faces obscured by embroidery sampler “masks,” their outfits a seamless extension of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs’ limestone walls. This visual symbiosis continued as models displayed hairstyles reminiscent of ancient statuary, further blurring the lines between the animate and inanimate, the finished and the unfinished.
Browne’s collection also resonated with a timely theme—the upcoming Olympics—through garments adorned with gold bullion embroideries of athletes. This thematic choice highlighted another layer of the collection: the juxtaposition of elite athletic endeavor with the precision and dedication of couture craftsmanship. An hourglass jacket and a bustier dress vividly illustrated this analogy; the former displayed the muscular system with blood-red beads, while the latter featured pleated and tucked muslin.
The show culminated with a trio of fully embroidered jackets in bronze, silver, and gold, a nod to the Olympic medals and a celebration of artisanal triumph.
Thom Browne’s latest couture collection not only displayed his unwavering commitment to craftsmanship but also posed an evocative question on the relevance of human touch in the age of technology. It was a powerful reminder of the beauty inherent in handcrafted artistry—an essential lesson as we stride further into the AI era.
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