October 5, 2022
Grabbing the Patriarchy by the Tutu: How Thom Browne is Redefining Masculinity
When one looks at a runway, they’re looking at how well the pieces catch the eye and what might be a twist on our fall neutrals, spring florals, and summery frills. People might go back and analyze what the piece and collection were trying to convey but usually don't because while the garment may be fun, it doesn't catch their unwavering attention. Menswear is no exception to this. Audiences have grown to expect a pop of color, sleek tailoring, and typical vests and blazers. Occasionally, that one collection stops them in their tracks because of how nonconforming and exciting it is. The Thom Browne SS 2020 show is a strong example of this. In this show, Browne challenged the patriarchal definition of a man by utilizing gender-bending in every piece down the runway. The specific object chosen to analyze from this collection is a Tom Browne tutu suit that American ballet dancer James Whiteside gleefully sported. The tutu suit combines gender-fluid styling, French and sport-influenced structure, gender-neutral color palettes, and a fresh perspective on what it truly means to destabilize the social construction of gender.
The gender-fluid styling of the tutu suit presents us with a look into the future of what a modern man could be. The look utilizes a piece, the tutu, traditionally seen as hyper-feminine layers of tulle that define women's waists, not men. Pairing the tutu with an elegantly tailored seersucker sports jacket creates a dialogue within society that men don't have to be predefined masculinity that they've been conditioned to be their entire upbringing. Tough doesn't have to mean repulsive and cold; it can mean that the wearer is comfortable with their niches and isn't going to hide them to conform to an ideology. The modern man is free of bias and is secure with their decisions. This kind of gender-bending styling allows men and women to be seen as equals because the notion of femininity and masculinity is so beautifully combined , especially because there is usually a hierarchy that favors masculinity and diminishes femininity. This particular look would be best used for editorial and music video styling, waiting to spark a conversation on what the modern man should and could be.
In addition to styling, Browne plays up the prep meets sports theme of the tutu through his color palette and how he structured the piece. The color palette is classic Thom Browne, grey pinstripes with black accents. The color palette is neutral with some pops of color in the buttons and does an excellent job at selling the idea that the piece is supposed to look like a sports jacket with a little extra flare. The pops of colors are an homage to the French flag. The French tribute is present throughout the piece in small bits: the buttons, the pin on the back of the jacket, and the overall rather Victorian feel of the article of clothing.
The gray was a great choice because it is gender neutral, a theme that makes this piece such a statement. The seersucker pinstripes run through the work, from the jacket to the tutu to the pointe shoes.
James Whiteside for Thom Browne Spring 2020 Menswear collection
The structure is also an important thing to note about this piece. The jacket is hyper-masculinized with its sharp shoulders and sharp lines. The tutu utilizes stiffened fibers and creates a significantly less organic tutu than traditionally seen. The cut and tailoring of the coat are cohesive with the rigid structure of the skirt. The skirt and the jacket taper into the silhouette to the thin waist explodes into the tutu, combining the hyper-masculine and hyper-feminine components to make the gender-neutral piece.
Thom Browne's perspective and design of a tutu-suit is revolutionary and empower us to speak about gender neutrality. The tutu was designed in 1832 to raise above dancers' feet and ensure they were in the spotlight. The tutu highlights the waist and is deemed super feminine; the one Browne created brings a whimsical "feminine" flare to an otherwise hyper-masculine piece. By incorporating the tutu that is traditionally seen as a woman's garment, Browne shows that men are more than what the patriarchy has defined them as and can have a delicate side.
Thom Browne not only stepped outside societal constrictions but challenged them with his tutu-suit piece. The piece blended extreme masculinity and femininity to create a completely fluid piece. The juxtaposition of the male and female pieces combining makes people reconsider what masculinity and gender are. Color choice and structure further push the suit's agenda by using a neutral palette fitting for everyone and blending the pieces to create seamless fluidity. Thom Browne's creation of the tutu suit is a show shopping guide of pride and owning every aspect of oneself, even if it goes against the grain.