Thom Browne

Profile

Menswear designer Thom Browne wanted his 2,000-square-foot Tribeca flagship to feel like a gentleman’s office from the late fifties�and to the extent that this gentleman has impeccable taste, extraordinary funds, and a healthy sense of irony�Browne has succeeded in creating a highly polished environment in which to work. Designed by architect David Biscaye, the bright and pristine Hudson Street space, like Browne himself, is so stuffy it’s cool. A large expanse of white is broken up only by a few fastidiously placed pieces of mid-century furniture, a vintage three-panel mirror, and a librarian-style desk that looks like it was lifted from the set of L.A. Confidential. Several racks are arranged around the store’s periphery holding impeccably tailored suits (starting at $3,800), striped cotton shirts, and the dapper, modern basics that made Browne famous. Behind glass doors and tightly shuttered venetian blinds, a second, private atelier accommodates Browne’s made-to-measure customers, who pay about 25 percent more. His tidy suits�high-waisted, sans pleat with a snug fit and reconsidered proportions�look almost shrunken, and he works mostly with conservative fabrics like English wool, thick canvas, seersucker, and felt. Browne’s leather dress shoes and slim cardigans round out a look that is understated, distinctive, squeaky-clean, and never boring. — Meredith Bryan

Formalwear

Thom Browne designs body-conscious, supercool suits�mostly cropped at the ankle, with extremely narrow lapels�that offer grooms an edgy alternative to less remarkable looks. Customers can choose from his existing line (from $2,200) or make an appointment to have a suit made to measure.

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Featured In

• The Dapper Mr. Thom Browne (8/28/06)