Thom Browne - from Kitsch to........Cool?????

Now, it's no secret that I'm not a huge Thom Browne fan (and it's not because he wouldn't say hello to me at the factory). Although his influence on fashion in the past decades is unmistakable (hello, I wore my jeans cuffed today), when it comes to flipping through his collections, I often don't get his whole vision. Tim Blanks has been the only fashion writer who has been able to help me look at Browne's work as a satirical, intellectual study, as opposed to just some gangly hipster boys in clothes too small.

But wait... what's this.......

Baggy Pants??? Actual Long Sleeves????

It's amazing what a hem length can do. I would be thrilled to wear any of these pieces, especially on the slopes. Those corduroy cargo pants - totally border style. I wonder if corduroy could be made waterproof...? And that grey coat in the center image - so cool. You could wear that with jeans around the city. And there are so few Thom Browne clothes out there that can be worn with anything other than Thom Browne.

What I like most about this collection is an actual blend of utility and style. In past collections, the utility has been implied and in nearly every instance negated by the style (a transparent plastic onesie, styled to look like a suit?). I am a fan of the yellow pants with built in knee padding - I could have made good use of those last time I went snowboarding! Admittedly, Thom's work for Moncler demands a higher level of functionality, being that it is an athletic wear company and all. Nonetheless, I'm proud of Thom for turning out his most consistent, coherent, and downright cool collection yet.