SCHOOL UNIFORM

When most people look at a school uniform, they see something, well, uniform. As in, boring. Isn’t that the point?

Not in Thom Browne’s hands. At his runway show Sept. 13, the designer took the simple image of a Japanese schoolgirl’s uniform and transformed it. He created a strange but enticing world.

Browne is known for both his craftsmanship and his showmanship. Thus, no one was surprised. Folks that entered a gallery in New York saw that the designer had constructed a one-room schoolhouse. There were rows of chairs. And a black composition notebook neatly placed at each one.

Then came the “students.” Each model wore a pleated skirt and blazer. But the workmanship on those “uniforms” was intricate, or complicated. Different patterns were embroidered on both skirt and jacket. Each outfit was completely different. The colours started with shades of grey, but moved on to black-and-white, and bright colours like mint green and purple.

Then there was the hair. Two starched braids were sticking straight up from the head into the air. They were framed by fabulous (and topless) boater hats. The hats were created by master milliner Stephen Jones.

The students marched slowly around the schoolhouse. Then they entered it, one by one. They took their seats. Finally, a “teacher” arrived. She looked like a bride. She was fully veiled so you couldn’t see her face and dressed in a long, white linen skirt and an overcoat in white fur. She took her place at the head of the classroom. She rapped on the table. And then Browne came out to take his bow.

But the “students” stayed in place in their classroom. Observers rushed forward to photograph them up close. The “students” stood, motionless.

Backstage, Browne explained that the whole show was based on one thing. It was that generic school uniform. “That was the reason for all the pleated skirts,” he said. “’But also, I wanted to trick people into not knowing what was right side up and what was upside down.”

It was a quick explanation. But when your clothes are that carefully crafted, they speak for themselves.