Thom Browne: the interview

Thom Browne

I was talking to the men's designer Thom Browne at the Esquire 75th anniversary party last night, and I asked him who the dudes are who buy the outfits I saw on the runway: the furry shorts that go up to your nipples, or the boxers sewed into pants that hang around your ankles, or the see-through tennis racquet print nightgown over black sweatpants with a tail, or the tutu worn over pants. I'm a smooth conversation starter like that.

He said - just like that big-time fashion editor said to me - that he didn't create the runway clothes thinking stores would buy it; he wanted to make people think and provoke a discussion. Again, I was very confused by clothing designers who aren't making clothing to be worn. This is going to take me a while.

Browne said he would like it if the clothes got bought, but that he doesn't think a lot of them will. When I asked him which one would never get bought, he mentioned the wedding dress he had this guy wear. I told him there might be a lot of gay weddings in California soon. That's when he told me the wedding dress wasn't meant to be gay or straight or male or female. Thom Browne will not be governor of Alaska anytime soon.