The ultimate way to earn your style stripes
Two decades after his namesake brand’s founding, with some of the buzziest, most theatrical shows (and accessories) around, it’s hard to remember that Thom Browne started out offering just a small range of made-to-measure suiting. When the Ralph Lauren alum first set up shop in New York City’s West Village in 2001, the shrunken grey flannel ensembles shook up the fashion world and have now become part of the brand’s design iconography. That service still forms a foundation of the company, extending to leathergoods (you can order custom colours of Browne’s whimsical animal-shaped bags), and now, knitwear.
Yes, we are admittedly at the height of summer and temperatures in the Big Apple yesterday were easily pushing triple digits, but the range spans the spectrum from lightweight merino (with 15 colours on offer) vests to cashmere (with 21 colours up for grabs) cardigans. And for tailoring devotees, as undoubtedly many of Browne’s brand loyalists are, custom knitwear feels like a no-brainer. For the moment, expect to find such Thom Browne classics as the 4-bar cardigan, which takes its cues from midcentury collegiate and sports uniforms. (The four stripes symbolise discipline, achievement, and tenacity, each of which are values central to Browne’s design philosophy.)
I learned of the just-launched service while recently visiting Browne’s new jewel box of a shop on East 72nd Street in N.Y.C. (don’t miss the separate accessories space just around the corner on Madison Avenue), though it extends to all of Browne’s standalone boutiques. With both men’s (sizes 00 to 10) and women’s (sizes 36 to 52) styles on offer, customers are able to select from a range of styles in knit, cashmere or merino, along with tabs, trims, and buttons. To really signal that your sweater is yours and yours alone, you’ll want to opt to have your initials embroidered in tonal thread. In the coming months, customers will also be able to crop and lengthen knits. Prices run from US$1,140 to US$2,150, and the turnaround time sits right at eight to 10 weeks—after all, it’s never too early to start plotting out your fall wardrobe!
