Men playing female roles is a theatrical tradition dating back to the Ancient Greeks. And so Thom Browne’s decision to dress four of his models as geishas felt particularly relevant at a time when the conversation about men’s wear is homing in on gender conventions.
Guests arriving at the venue, a warehouse on the outskirts of Paris, were greeted by a static display of models in kimono-sleeved coats draped over wooden crosses like scarecrows. As discomfiting as it was, the setup allowed the audience to admire up close ornate fabrics with details such as embroidered koi and sheered mink appliqué.
What followed was as much a performance as a fashion show. To the melancholic strains of Yo-Yo Ma playing Ennio Morricone film scores, the geisha figures, distinguished by elaborate headdresses, painstakingly unbuttoned each coat and released the men inside.
Wearing Klaus Nomi makeup and small, round glasses, the models hobbled on wooden geta sandals dressed in gray suits and coats with intricate Japanese-inspired motifs. Panels of pinstripe, houndstooth, herringbone and seersucker were assembled into designs including flowers, fish and cranes.
With his hybrid of sartorial and decorative traditions, Browne is yet another voice helping to expand the male repertoire.