Thom Browne on the Subway

R Train
- headed uptown
- 3/19. 1:17 pm

I got on at the Canal Street station and I kid you not, sitting right there in front of me was Thom Browne. Not a facsimile, but the actual superstar designer himself. Not that one doesn't see Thom Browne around NYC. I've seen him at parties and of course walking around Soho, the Meatpacking District and once in the Garment District. But this was the NYC subway.

He was dressed - well, you know how he was dressed. I was ready to write this long description but its not necessary. The point about Thom Browne is that he is dressed the same everyday with few variations. I did notice that his shirt cuff buttons were undone, though they could have been French and just without links.

It was cool and weird at the same time. Cool well, because he's Thom Browne and he's in the subway. Weird because I was in my own version of the look - no socks and folded pants cuffs, but next to him I look like I'm dipping a toe in the pool of style while he is just dripping in fashion's oh-so-cool waters. Next to him, most mortals, let alone me, look uncool.

So, what did I do?
I wandered over to sit right across from him.
Made eye contact.

"Thom Browne takes the subway, huh?"
"Yes" came the reply

Suit of the Times

Man 2/25/09

Thom Browne has been the men’s designer of this decade. Hedi Slimane and Christopher Bailey probably run a very close second, but when all is said and done, if Giorgio Armani owned the 80’s and Prada the 90’s, then Thom Browne is for the man of the new millennium.

Curiously, the most influential designer of the decade doesn’t have a great retail following. You don’t see too many men wearing recognizable Thom Browne clothing. And even more so, you don’t see them riding in the subway.

So, was this man wearing Thom Browne?

Let’s look at the checklist:

1. Grey slim fit suit with slightly shrunken jacket
2. Slim suit pants that are cut-off at ankles
3. Dark charcoal grey suede desert boots – probably Clarks and not TB brand
4. Slim tie – this one was black with gold flecks woven into the fabric; slightly more flair than the standard TB tie, but still within the aesthetic
5. Silver Tie bar – ditto
6. White shirt – collar slightly larger than expected, so probably not a TB shirt
7. Form-fitting Winter overcoat – this one in tan but my buddy who wears TB religiously has one similar, so I would say yes
8. Socks – this is winter and I’m sure TB allows for this concession to the cold
9. Close cropped hair – remember the TB aesthetic also includes a certain grooming style
10. No visually distracting jewelry – like a giant watch or earrings or whatever else comes to mind that suggests bling

Two things stood out to me though.

His messenger bag – it was this black nylon messenger bag from Diesel that was packed to the gills, and probably weighed more than everything he was wearing combined. It was neither sleek, nor well kept, given the state of its wear and tear.

The other was his choice of reading material. The latest issue of FourFourTwo.

Style and soccer do go together. Just ask Thierry Henry.