By Jesse Scott
Thom Browne made his long-awaited return to Milan—his first show here since 2008—on one of the hottest days of Milan Fashion Week in recent memory. The show took place in the scorching courtyard of Palazzo Serbelloni, the sun reflecting on 400 seersucker white flowerpots while thankfully being deflected away from guests by elegant black umbrellas (other brands holding shows this fashion season, please take note). And this staging could not have felt more appropriate. As the show opened, three groundskeepers wearing already-emblematic veils over their hats walked the runway carrying watering cans in place of bags in the opening look. They brought to life what can be considered Browne’s best collection in years, a true tour de force that combined the brand’s classic American prep style with touches such as playful embroidery and distressed details.
Backstage at Thom Browne Spring/Summer 2027, the cast of models assembles in seersucker tailoring, striped layers, and whimsical garden motifs before stepping into Browne’s blooming runway. Courtesy of Thom Browne.
A star-studded guest list braved the temperatures (without a hair out of place or a wrinkle in their outfits) to take in the historic spectacle. Football star Joe Burrow arrived in a sharp double-breasted navy blazer paired unexpectedly with light-wash denim jeans. Charlie Hall stunned in a grey seersucker suit while SAINt JHN sported a varsity-striped sweater vest with a sleeveless shirt. Together they witnessed a show that emphasized complex layers in light, elegant tones.
Before the first look, Thom Browne’s Spring/Summer 2027 set transformed Palazzo Serbelloni into a surreal garden of white seersucker flowerpots. Courtesy of Thom Browne.
Joe Burrow arrives at the Thom Browne Spring/Summer 2027 show in Milan wearing a double-breasted navy blazer and light-wash denim. Courtesy of Thom Browne / Matteo Prandoni.
VIP guests attend the Thom Browne Spring/Summer 2027 show at Palazzo Serbelloni in Milan. Courtesy of Thom Browne / Matteo Prandoni.
Cordura trench coats, seersucker car coats, and tech field jackets appeared alongside open-weave cotton and jackweight cashmere in a series of flowing ensembles. Looks 7 and 8, with their skirts, stripes, and pastels, exemplified summer sophistication. And the clean color palette popped with complementary contrasts. For example, a red sweater vest and voluminous red jacket were paired with blue pinstripe shirts in Looks 28 and 43 while Look 52’s vivid green topcoat was a personal favorite. Bold madras occasionally provided coordinated chaos, as in Look 14. And embroidery of critters such as grasshoppers and bumblebees danced down designs in Looks 35 and 49.
Thom Brown Spring/Summer 2027: Looks 7, 8, 28, 43, 52, 14, 35, 49. Courtesy of Thom Browne
Equal parts classical, imaginative, and whimsical (the designer took his final bow in a vibrant green frog mask), the show delighted guests from the opening gardeners to the final dramatic wedding dress. The remarkably cohesive 57-look collection exemplified excellent attention to detail down to the last appliqué. Set to the otherworldly music of opera artist Klaus Nomi, the collection created a dramatic new universe while remaining unfailingly true to the Thom Browne DNA.