Thom Browne Takes the Unicorn Trend to a New Peak with His Spring 2018 Show in Paris
This year, it’s been nearly impossible to avoid the unicorn trend, which has reigned over everything from food to beauty. Now, however, that may cease thanks to Thom Browne. The American designer catered to those experiencing unicorn fatigue with his Spring 2018 show during Paris Fashion Week by taking on the trend with such commitment that all future attempts will surely pale in comparison. Browne didn’t just opt for the rainbow pastel hues that have become inextricably associated with unicorns, he brought out a life-size unicorn onto the runway. Browne, a designer who’s made whimsy his signature—especially so this season—had a model walk out with an unicorn, leash and all.
Of course, as unicorns are mythical creatures that do not actually exist—despite their utter cultural domination in 2017—Browne’s unicorn consisted of two male models wearing an elaborate tulle costume. Their white outfits were coordinated with the model who took on a gaucho persona in corseted chap-like pants with white boots and a white cowboy hat to boot.
Models present creations, including one representing a unicorn, by Thom Browne during the women’s 2018 Spring/Summer.
PARIS, FRANCE – OCTOBER 03: A model walks the runway during the Thom Browne show as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018.
The dreamy presentation might have seemed visually far off from his last one for Fall 2017, where he focused on grey suiting, but thematically it was a continuation. “I wanted everyone to feel like they were a part of the show, as opposed to watching the show,” he told W in February. This year, he accomplished that even more so, considering the moment was quickly documented on social media.
While the unicorn trend has mostly stayed in the realms of everything but fashion, it has popped up before Browne’s Spring 2018 show. In May, Elle Fanning pulled off the feat of elevating the unicorn trend for the red carpet when she wore a white Vivienne Westwood gown to Cannes that was customized with her name and a sketch of a unicorn. The “mystical galactic creation of a gown,” as Westwood called it, impressively took 300 hours for a team of over 10 to make it.
Plus, this past August, Selena Gomez put her spin on the trend with a unicorn sweater that bared an awful lot of resemblance to the one worn by Hillary Duff in the Lizzie McGuire pilot. With Thom Browne’s unicorn-stampeded runway though, this may actually be the final nail in the coffin of the unicorn trend. You can now breathe a sigh of relief.
The Best Behind-the-Scenes Photos from Paris Fashion Week Spring 2018
Behind the scenes at the Jacquemus SS18 show at the Musée National Picasso-Paris in Paris on Monday, September 25th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Behind the scenes at the Jacquemus SS18 show at the Musée National Picasso-Paris in Paris on Monday, September 25th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Behind the scenes at the Jacquemus SS18 show at the Musée National Picasso-Paris in Paris on Monday, September 25th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Behind the scenes at the Jacquemus SS18 show at the Musée National Picasso-Paris in Paris on Monday, September 25th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Behind the scenes at the Jacquemus SS18 show at the Musée National Picasso-Paris in Paris on Monday, September 25th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Behind the scenes at the Jacquemus SS18 show at the Musée National Picasso-Paris in Paris on Monday, September 25th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Behind the scenes at the Jacquemus SS18 show at the Musée National Picasso-Paris in Paris on Monday, September 25th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Behind the scenes at the Jacquemus SS18 show at the Musée National Picasso-Paris in Paris on Monday, September 25th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Behind the scenes at the Jacquemus SS18 show at the Musée National Picasso-Paris in Paris on Monday, September 25th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Behind the scenes at the Jacquemus SS18 show at the Musée National Picasso-Paris in Paris on Monday, September 25th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Behind the scenes at the Jacquemus SS18 show at the Musée National Picasso-Paris in Paris on Monday, September 25th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Behind the scenes at the Jacquemus SS18 show at the Musée National Picasso-Paris in Paris on Monday, September 25th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Behind the scenes at the Jacquemus SS18 show at the Musée National Picasso-Paris in Paris on Monday, September 25th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Behind the scenes at the Jacquemus SS18 show at the Musée National Picasso-Paris in Paris on Monday, September 25th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Behind the scenes at the Jacquemus SS18 show at the Musée National Picasso-Paris in Paris on Monday, September 25th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Emily Ratajkowski at the Christian Dior SS18 show at the Musée Rodin in Paris on Tuesday, September 26th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Natalia Vodianova at the Christian Dior SS18 show at the Musée Rodin in Paris on Tuesday, September 26th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Jasmine Sanders at the Christian Dior SS18 show at the Musée Rodin in Paris on Tuesday, September 26th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Behind the scenes at the Christian Dior SS18 show at the Musée Rodin in Paris on Tuesday, September 26th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Behind the scenes at the Christian Dior SS18 show at the Musée Rodin in Paris on Tuesday, September 26th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Adwoa Aboah behind the scenes at the Christian Dior SS18 show at the Musée Rodin in Paris on Tuesday, September 26th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Behind the scenes at the Christian Dior SS18 show at the Musée Rodin in Paris on Tuesday, September 26th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Behind the scenes at the Christian Dior SS18 show at the Musée Rodin in Paris on Tuesday, September 26th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Behind the scenes at the Christian Dior SS18 show at the Musée Rodin in Paris on Tuesday, September 26th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Ruth Bell behind the scenes at the Christian Dior SS18 show at the Musée Rodin in Paris on Tuesday, September 26th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Fernanda Ly behind the scenes at the Christian Dior SS18 show at the Musée Rodin in Paris on Tuesday, September 26th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Behind the scenes at the Christian Dior SS18 show at the Musée Rodin in Paris on Tuesday, September 26th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Behind the scenes at the Christian Dior SS18 show at the Musée Rodin in Paris on Tuesday, September 26th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Behind the scenes at the Christian Dior SS18 show at the Musée Rodin in Paris on Tuesday, September 26th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Behind the scenes at the Christian Dior SS18 show at the Musée Rodin in Paris on Tuesday, September 26th during Paris Fashion Week. Photo by Jake Hateley for W Magazine.
Watch: Butterflies of Paris: How Street Style Stars Do Paris Fashion Week
Butterflies of Paris: How Street Style Stars Do Paris Fashion Week
