For inspiration for his pre-fall 2023 collection, Thom Browne turned to Herman Melville’s seminal novel, building on his reputation as one of fashion’s most voracious storytellers (the season prior, he staged a -inspired extravaganza starring Gwendoline Christie). Scenes from the novel – which charts Captain Ahab’s obsessive pursuit of a great white whale – featured as motifs across the collection, while Browne’s signature shrunken tailoring took on a nautical bent, decorated with miniature sailing boats or matched with off-kilter berets. Completing the look was a version of Browne’s dog-shaped ‘Hector’ bag – named after the designer’s dachshund – here playfully transformed into the shape of a whale. The Pennsylvania-born designer has continually riffed on such American archetypes, most notably, an ever-evolving play on preppy Ivy League dress codes that has made him one of the country’s most familiar fashion exports. Now based in New York, Browne has recently been charged with ushering in the country’s next generation of talent as chairman of the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
