Designer Thom Browne takes to the shore to envision a new kind of uniform for surfers, divers, and other deep-sea enthusiasts in this exclusive photo series by photographer Wayne Lawrence and Document‘s Ronald Burton III with casting by Midland Agency and production by Replica. Named trompe l’oeile, the re-seen wetsuit borrows all of the individual elements of a traditional meanswear suit—jacket, trousers, lapels, top collar, tie—and merges them into a single, streamlined garment connected at the back with a zipper. Crafted out of flexible neoprene, the waterproof creation conforms to the body, transforming the classic 3-dimensional outfit into a 2-dimensional narrative between wearer and garment.  Revered for his unwaveringly sartorial approach despite fashion’s increasingly casual tide, Browne reinvents the tradition of tailoring with every stitch, stunted silhouette, and scenic runway presentation. A proponent of surfboard motifs since his Spring 2017 menswear collection, this new vision of a wetsuit suit comes as a natural innovation to the world of tailor-made apparel.

 

View Slideshow
Tags