In , German documentarian Reiner Holzemer, whose recent work has included films on the houses of Dries Van Noten and Martin Margiela, tackles a designer with an instantly recognizable aesthetic but an aversion to introspection. That makes Browne a somewhat distant subject, an enigma, as one friend and colleague describes him. He prefers to keep the creative spark tucked away inside his head and let his garments speak for themselves.
But wow, can those clothes talk. In workrooms and especially in extensive footage of runway shows that freely mix the oneiric with the whimsical — all of it coordinated down to the most minute detail — this great-looking doc spotlights collections that fuse impeccable construction with eccentricity and cheeky humor to beguiling effect. Holzemer seems aware of the potential imbalance between personal and professional access, which makes it a smart strategy to begin by blitzing our eyes with an image of startling dramatic impact.
To the sound of swelling strings, a proscenium safety curtain slowly rises to reveal the ornate gilded auditorium of the Palais Garnier in Paris, where each of the almost 2,000 seats is occupied by a cardboard cutout in a signature Thom Browne gray suit and sunglasses. The effect is surreal. Two male “porters” sporting the dapper suit and pleated skirt combo that is the cornerstone of Browne’s gender-fluid approach — worn by stars including Oscar Isaac, Lee Pace and David Harbour — step onto the stage and depo.
