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Thom Browne: The Five Hundred Million Dollar Man

Twenty years ago, people laughed at him in his shrunken grey suit. Now he’s showing haute couture in Paris, publishing a weighty monograph on his career, and chairing the CFDA. Who’s laughing now?
In 2018, Thom Browne sold 85 percent of his company to Zegna in a deal that valued the label at $500 million. Now, the designer is marking 20 years in business and planning his next chapter.
In 2018, Thom Browne sold 85 percent of his company to Zegna in a deal that valued the label at $500 million. Now, the designer is marking 20 years in business and planning his next chapter. (Kevin Trageser for BoF)
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2023 is a year of milestones for Thom Browne. On the first day of January, his tenure as the new chairman of the Council of Fashion Designers of America began. In July, he presented his first haute couture collection in Paris. October sees the publication of a weighty monograph on Browne’s career. But above all, 2023 marks the 20th anniversary of his business.

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Further Reading

Thom Browne’s Path to $500 Million, 500 Square Feet at a Time

The Zegna-owned brand seeks to double sales to over $500 million from $230 million in 2021 while maintaining its insider cachet. CEO Rodrigo Bazan sees opening intimate boutiques in offbeat locations as a path to keep growing in a luxury market dominated by European giants.

About the author
Tim Blanks
Tim Blanks

Tim Blanks is Editor-at-Large at The Business of Fashion. He is based in London and covers designers, fashion weeks and fashion’s creative class.

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