Alannah Blumstein

2026
History. French.

Walking in an eighteenth-century court dress and sky-high pouf hairstyle, like what Marie-Antoinette would have worn, is, for me, like moving in an alternate world. So too for that matter is sitting, standing, and fitting through doorways—both vertical and horizontal constraints pose a challenge. But for all the enforced conformity of Marie-Antoinette’s gown, her signature, towering pouf hairstyle allowed her to subvert the norms of Versailles society with a subtle political commentary in the form of the miniature ship adorning her hair—a perfect replica of a French naval vessel which had just won a key battle against England in the American Revolution. In short, Marie-Antoinette was using fashion to convey a powerful, unspoken message.

I design and create my own historically-accurate garments—including hoop skirts and wigs—to understand how people throughout history have leveraged fashion as a means of communication. To me, clothes serve so much more than the practical purpose of keeping bodies warm and protecting against the elements; they show the world who we are and what we value, a physical expression of the self. In this way, fashion forms its own language, revealing insights about our world found nowhere else. From Marie Antoinette’s poufs allégoriques to Michelle Obama’s tailored second-inauguration coat,* made of a tie-inspired textile, fashion forms a potent tool of unspoken communication—a visual grenade to be launched on the public Consciousness.

In taking this course, I hope to understand how Thom Browne—a major creative force in the fashion industry whose revolutionary image, while at first faced with resistance, became a key disruptor in 21st-century tailoring—has shaped and honed his message through his creations as a fashion designer. I would like to understand the inner workings of the process, from the inception of the idea behind his high-armhole-fit jackets and ankle-hemmed trousers to his emergence as a key player in the fashion industry, creating clothes for people as varied as LeBron James and Cardi B, that have allowed him to disseminate such a unique and powerful message through his creations. Through this, I hope to gain the tools and understanding to send messages through creations of my own.

*designed by Thom Browne