Thom Browne, a maestro of dramatic presentations in American fashion, brought New York Fashion Week to a grand close on a blustery day. His show transformed the venue with artificial snow, setting the stage for a captivating display of his latest designs inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s chilling poem, “The Raven.”
Among the notable guests at the front row were celebrities like Janet Jackson and Queen Latifah, who witnessed Browne’s signature blend of intricate tailoring and storytelling. Browne’s theatrical genius was on full display as he took his time to weave a narrative, accompanied by a soundtrack narrated by Carrie Coon, star of “The Gilded Age,” reciting Poe’s bleak story of a lover mourning his lost love, Lenore, visited by a black, thick-necked bird repeatedly croaking, “Nevermore! Nevermore!”
The show itself was a spectacle, with Browne’s models navigating the wintry landscape, their attire reflecting the theme of transformation and mourning. Bugs, some resembling the formal tailoring of the 1910s, and others more sculptural, evoked the image of molting insects. The roses in the collection referenced the mysterious Poe Toaster, who annually left roses and cognac at Poe’s grave in Baltimore, a tradition that began in the 1930s. The combination of roses and ravens foreshadows the upcoming Met Gala, whose theme “Sleeping Beauties” is connected to nature, promising a continuation of Browne’s imaginative narrative in the world of fashion.
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