Thom Browne Taps Football Stars for FW26 Runway in San Francisco
Featuring DeAndre Hopkins and Marcus Allen, Browne leaned into artful tailoring with a focus on wearability.
Summary
- Thom Browne’s FW26 collection returns to classic grey tailoring and Ivy League uniforms, debuted at San Francisco’s Legion of Honor.
- The lineup features intricate handwork and layering, plus a first look at a suede ASICS GEL-KAYANO 14 collaboration launching March 2026.
While Thom Browne‘s SS26 runway show featured avant-garde aliens and his FW25 show was a quilt of anarchic pattern and color, the New York-based designer’s FW26 returns to the brand’s core. Browne brought his FW26 collection to San Francisco’s Legion of Honor museum, reintroducing his uniform to the American football community ahead of the Super Bowl last Sunday.
Instead of surreal proportions and bright colors, dark grey, black, and navy tailoring was styled into an Ivy-inspired lineup. Some looks could even be described as austere, especially in the introduction, where dark colors and basic shapes dominate. However, the designer weaves poetry into the collection through impressive handwork. The cords of a grey fisherman’s sweater drift into pinstriped trousers below as embroidery; the same happens in a navy dress that portrays frayed yarns in trompe l’oeil.
While classic fits reign, the excess layering of grayscale garments gives each look an interesting texture and dimension. Football player Marcus Allen wore a full pinstripe look composed of trousers, a maxi skirt, a puffer, a blazer, and a knitted vest over a tied shirt. Elsewhere, DeAndre Hopkins wore a pleated kilt with a wool bomber jacket over a blazer and a cardigan. Particularly impressive is the closing look, which features a long cape coat, adorned with a gradient design of silver sequins, each hand-stitched by the Browne team.
The presentation also provided a first look at Thom Browne’s new ASICS GEL-KAYANO 14, spotlighting a all-gray suede colorway with the signature Thom Browne tag at the heel. While the full scope of variants is under wraps, the collaboration is set to drop soon on March 2, 2026.
