Thom Browne reimagines "The Little Prince" in heartfelt return to the New York Fashion Week Runway

Thom Browne made a triumphant return to the New York Fashion Week calendar with an Autumn-Winter 2023 collection inspired by The Little Prince. The designer wished to explore the meaning behind the phrase “what’s essential is invisible to the eyes” and take on the creative direction with the fanciful naïveté of a child, crafting a theatrical experience that would elevate the need of a fashion show into a full on spectacle of intrinsic artistic value.

We can see some direct references to the story and to Browne state of mind as the show starts with a series of allusions to the beauty of starts and space motifs, first in the form of conceptual interpretation of that simulate the work of a child in bright primary colors and simple shapes, and made more even more evident in the astronaut looks, which became some of the most talked about of the night.

The story then turns a bit more somber as the “business men” of the story take over the stage, attempting to sell the stars and in turn bastardising their beauty. Here the designer displays a series of oversized and deconstructed suits, a staple of his career that on this rendition turn to represent the tension between child-like playfulness and adulthood burnt-out, while also serving as a commentary on the forces behind creative industries, and the corruption of artistic expression for the sake of making profit.

Finally the story comes to a tender conclusion in the angel look modelled by Precious Lee, which replaces the bitter ending of the original story of Antoine de Saint-Exupery for a more hopeful message both for the designers own quest for inspiration and for the future of fashion shows as a culturally significant art medium.

All around a whimsical and indulgent show which reminds us of the importance of treating fashion shows as more than a collection viewing and a stage to flaunt social relevance. And while the 35mins length of might seem to some as be overkill, I feel like we needed some time to stop the Fashion Week madness and hold our attention for a bit longer. And if there is a man to do so, it is more certainly Thom Browne.

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