Super Bowl LX is on Sunday and the world’s top entertainers and athletes have descended upon San Francisco this weekend to salute football ahead of the big game between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. Countless parties have been scheduled throughout the Bay Area, but the buzziest Super Bowl event on the calendar is the GQ Bowl.
On Friday night, GQ Bowl—an annual spectacle celebrating the intersection of sports, style, and culture—hosted a fashion extravaganza where world renowned designer Thom Browne debuted his spectacular Fall 2026 collection at the majestic Legion of Honor Museum. The catwalk show, featuring a 63-look collection consisting of both menswear and womenswear, attracted a star-studded crowd. From Oscar nominee Teyana Taylor, who brought her two young daughters to the show, to Heated Rivalry’s breakout star François Arnaud and Myha’la from HBO’s hit series Industry, the front row crowd wore impeccably chic attire (dressed head-to-toe in Thom Browne looks, of course) to match this year’s GQ Bowl theme — “the pursuit of excellence.”
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 06: François Arnaud attends GQ Bowl 2026 – Thom Browne Fall 2026 Collection on February 06, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images for GQ)
For the second edition of the annual event, GQ Global Editorial Director Will Welch (looking dapper in a charcoal Thom Browne suit) staged the lavish affair with Browne in mind due to the designer’s connection to football. Browne grew up in Allentown, Pennsylvania, playing football so it was natural for him to present his newest collection at the GQ Bowl. No other designer can deliver sophistication, intrigue, beauty and powerful universal themes like Browne. There’s no one like him and he’s unmatched with his bold and inspiring artistry. His latest collection itself is an example of excellence and is absolutely mesmerizing. And once again, Browne, the Chairman of the CFDA, staged a theatrical runway show.
Browne tapped actor Yahya Abdul Mateen to narrate and star in the presentation, in which Mateen read passages from the poem Dante’s Inferno to tie into the collection’s theme in a pre-recorded audio for the show. The scene opened with Mateen and model Vinnie Hacker strutting down the runway and taking their seats at a modernist desk positioned directly beneath Auguste Rodin’s monumental bronze sculpture called “The Three Shades” and Browne’s newest collection showcased beautiful coats and parkas over tailoring and knits—both in classic silhouettes and new proportions—and grounded in Browne’s signature grey color. The collection also highlighted seasonal fabrics like wool flannels and cashmeres, but custom-made and reinterpreted for the collection. And one welcoming twist was the addition of custom Bose headphones for athletic references. In a continued celebration of athletics, Browne also debuted a collaboration with Asics Sportsstyle during the runway collection. The models wore Browne’s limited-edition design of Asics’ classic Gel-Kayano 14. Additional details will be announced when the product launches on March 2.
Guests such as Queen Latifah, Olympic gold medalist Sunisa Lee and Gossip Girl actor Evan Mock looked in awe at the clothing and so did NFL players Christian McCaffrey, Deandre Hopkins, Justin Jefferson, Sauce Gardner and Victor Cruz.
Following the show, guests were shuffled into the museum’s courtyard for the afterparty. They enjoyed endless sushi and grilled cheese sandwiches while a DJ played high energy music—a fitting end to the perfect night.
