Battle of the Suits: Tom vs. Thom Ensues...

Tom Ford [left] and Thom Browne [right] contrast their trademark tuxedo tailoring

Among the more sparkling revelations of Tom Ford's Rules of Style feature in the new January Details, the designer mogul/film director/luminary of luxury less-than-crypticly divulges: "I hate the trend of short suit jackets. When a man’s butt is showing below the bottom of his jacket, I think it makes him look like a female flight attendant from the back— not my idea of sexy." 

His collocated Bergdorf Goodman Men's second and third floor showdown with fellow American suitor Thom Browne may in fact serve as a microcosm of a greater vying over the definition of masculinity in the twenty-first century luxe market – and as such, a gallant battleground of sorts over whose modern cut will reign supreme in the sartorial propinquity. Although their rivalry over disparate design ideologies will suitably remain as gentlemanly as the made-to-order maestros themselves, when Mr. Browne was asked whether he would indeed triumph in a fist-to-cuffs fight with Mr. Ford, he famously boasted: "I'm a stubborn Irishman, so I'd probably win." 

While his Central Park jogs (famously sporting his signature shrunken silhouette on every run) may help maintain his tiny physique, Thom's runway pursuits of the tennis leitmotif have done little to convince Suzy Menkes of his diminutive dissertation on crisp American menswear with his hallmark hoisted-up schoolboy proportions. Madame Menkes – who recently toured Tom Ford's new Milan menswear maison [below] – strayed from her usual propriety when describing what her fellow International Herald Tribune/New York Times fashion reporter Eric Wilson had just praised [above] by proclaiming Browne's Spring 2009 presentation as "a shriek for a shrink [rather] than a coherent vision of a new man with a newly filled closet." She asserted that he failed to properly infuse his trademark tailoring into his cuts at Brooks Brothers, instead lavishing on overly-literal, frivolous Roger Federer-inspired togs. Match point.

bB,

Julia

• Related: Karl Lagerfeld adores Tom Ford and his goods (erm, clothes): video interview with Kate Betts

Comments

[modelizer]

So biased but TOM FORD > ANY FAKE TOM. I appreciate Thoms creativity but his stuff looks so bad on so many people, it's beyond words limiting in the suit market. And frankly reminds me of Pee Wee. That being said, I'd rather see girls wearing it then 90% of guys that think they can pull it off.

Also I love the Karl/Tom video of them just jerking each other off. Ugh, my two favorite people that I haven't met yet in a room together discussing their admiration for each other. It's my dream come true.

[Johanne]

Great post! Gah, Tom Ford is gorgeous.

Merry Christmas!

[Rianna Bethany]

thom browne looks so weird in that suit! I just do not think its a good look on a man at all! It doesn't look masculin.
Nice blog by the way!
Rianna Bethany xxxx

[karii]

hello Julia,

I found you, I have read you in PAPERMAG and have followed to blog. Im karii and I live in Mexico city, celeste MAGAZINE mexico, you know?

Since I have been charmed with your way, i like knowing if it is that I can do an interview to you soon for my blog.

xoxo
-karii (from mexico city)

http://rarascoincidenciasneoyorquinas.blogspot.com
http://rarascoincidenciasneoyorquinas.blogspot.com

[Prêt-à-Porter P]

i adore adore adore tom ford

[Amplified]

i'm never fond of Thom Browne's suits..
The jackets looks stumpy,pants too short,blabla..
And the peter pan collar?On a man?
I cannot imagine..

anyway,just came across your blog and i love it..

;)

[slanelle]

tom ford looks wayyyy better