Ayo Edebiri’s relationship with Thom Browne began as many actor-designer relationships do—with a photoshoot. Around this time last year, the comedian, who plays the determined young chef Sydney in The Bear, was doing a shoot with her co-star Jeremy Allen White where she wore a Thom Browne skirt suit that she loved. As the series’ popularity grew, the 27-year-old who also stars in the upcoming films Bottoms and Theater Camp, came to rely on the designer for the looks she needed for her many, many events. She wore custom Thom Browne to both the Emmy Awards and its after parties; attended the CFDAs with Browne, his first as the organization’s newly appointed chairman; and on Monday, Edebiri was front row at his first-ever couture show, held at the Palais Garnier in Paris. Though they are in different industries and points in their careers, there’s a certain similarity to the whirlwind of success that both Browne and Edebiri have experienced in recent months. “It’s been a very wild year and I feel like getting to wear Thom has been weirdly a nice anchor,” Edebiri says, “Just having these clothes that feel so structured and cool but also creative and free.” Shortly after attending Browne’s whimsical presentation, Edebiri spoke with W about her evolving relationship with style and how Browne contributed to a pivotal moment in The Bear’s second season.
How has your relationship with style changed over the past few years?
I feel like my uniform is very much big T-shirt vibes, especially when I do standup. And then so much of writing became over Zoom, so definitely during COVID I had a period where I was like, “Oh, I actually miss wearing clothes that are really nice.” I was doing a Friday dress up day in my house. But within the past year, my world has opened up so much in terms of opportunities and events, so I’ve definitely have been thinking a lot more about what I wear and how I wear it.
Has that felt challenging at all?
Instead of limiting myself or my scope, I realize how much fashion can help you tell stories, really. As an actress, as a storyteller, that’s so crucial. Being able to mold and create new stories for yourself, new journeys, it’s very freeing. And being able to do it in clothes that are so carefully thought out and made and so explorative and more conceptual is very cool.
Thom’s shows always tell a story. What was your favorite part of his couture presentation?
That was my first fashion show, so I had no idea what to expect. I’m kind of like, “I don’t know what to do,” because my first fashion show was the Thom Browne couture show. My standard is set way too high now [laughs]. It was so stunning, it just blew me away. We were at the opera house and I didn’t even realize we were sitting on the stage itself when I first got there. Alek Wek, an absolute icon, came in from the audience and just sitting on that luggage case—it just had so many jaw-dropping moments. I loved the pigeon dresses, and the models moving almost in a dance-like way that all just added to the feeling of the whole show feeling like a dream, which ruled. You’re in and out of this train station just sitting and waiting, and there were just these moments of great movement and really stunning pieces and then also stillness. It took you on a whole journey.
Thom Browne, or at least his design, makes a bit of a surprise cameo in the new season of The Bear. How did that happen?
Yes—spoiler alert—but at the end of the season, Sydney is surprised by Carmy with a chef’s coat, and it’s by Thom Browne. The Bear creator Chris [Storer] and Jeremy had been speaking about it for a while. A few weeks after we started filming we did the first fitting, but I didn’t see the final version until I actually got to open it on camera. I actually got emotional.
You’ve had an extremely busy year and now you have Bottoms and Theater Camp coming up. How are you feeling and what’s next?
Oh man, I’m just feeling very grateful. I love what I get to work on and the people that I get to work with. I feel very fortunate that so far people seem to be picking up what I’m putting down, and that the world has been opening for me creatively to keep following that. I’ve got some things lined up that I’m excited for, but I’m really keeping in the present right now.
