The day aliens invaded the Thom Browne catwalk

On Monday, October 6th, Thom Browne took over the Hôtel Pozzo di Borgo to stage a theatrical Spring/Summer 2026 show. On the runway, impeccably dressed models were walking when some unexpected guests appeared. In a futuristic and slightly dystopian mise-en-scène, the New York designer imagined a close encounter of the third kind with aliens and blurred the lines between fashion and science fiction.

The Thom Browne Spring/Summer 2026 show.

Two shows and a world apart at Paris Fashion Week

October 6th marked a turning point in the fashion bubble. At 8pm, Paris ran to the Grand Palais to witness Mathieu Blazy’s debut at Chanel – a historic event according to some sources. A few hours earlier, far from the madding crowd, Thom Browne offered his own vision of spectacle in a more intimate setting at the Hôtel Pozzo di Borgo, Karl Lagerfeld‘s former residence.

From the very first looks, the tone was set. Five models stepped on the catwalk wearing the New York designer’s signature uniform — flawless grey suits and crisp ties. However, one detail caught the eye… An alien head was embroidered on their chests. At Thom Browne, even extraterrestrials have style… and come in peace.

A Spring/Summer 2026 collection between reality and hallucination

Once the unusual context of the show is set, Thom Browne unfolded his mastery through a bold Spring/Summer 2026 collection that explored the boundaries of reality. Silhouettes play with proportions, as evidenced in the grey flannel suits featuring six sleeves and as many legs, or in the silver sheer tops clinging to the body like a second skin and adorned with trompe-l’œil patterns.

Later, models appeared perched on improbable suede stiletto boots, defying all gravity. Set to the soundtrack of Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), the collection then took on its full meaning.

The art of detail according to Thom Browne

Among layered coats, multiplied stripes, tweeds, and flannels, Thom Browne obsessively revamps his own codes. Trompe-l’œil are back on a preppy dress, on which a pastel blue collar, a dog bag, and a lime-green belt are drawn directly onto the fabric.

The house’s iconic “dog bag” also takes to the runway – life-size this time – alongside the reimagined Bolton model featuring a new shell handle. Mini jackets cut from sapphire tweeds and mint-striped cottons, which Thom Browne seems to have developed himself, captured the audience’s attention… Among them, singer FKA twigs, on all fronts during this Fashion Week.

A grand finale to close Thom Browne’s show

As tension rose in Paris toward the close of Fashion Week, Thom Browne chooses to end his show on a joyful, surreal note. To the soundtrack of the series Doctor Who, the aliens came back to thank the audience before the designer himself, ever mischievous, burst out from backstage. The latter was met with standing ovation y a delighted audience. Thom Browne delivered a collection that is both eccentric and perfectly controlled… Proof that even in outer space, elegance remains a very earthly affair.