Everyone in Thom Browne and Andrew Bolton’s house wears Thom Browne: the gardener trimming the bushes in front of their pristine Sutton Place home; the loyal publicists; and even Hector, the wire-haired dachshund, is in a gray cashmere sweater complete with Browne’s signature four-bar stripe.
The morning I’m meant to meet Hector and the designer for our interview, I get swept up in the sea of black cars shuttling visiting diplomats to the High-Level Political Forum at the United Nations. I jiggle my foot impatiently. I, too, have places to be, important people—and dogs—to see. When I arrive, I learn that Hector, the consummate professional he is, has already nailed the indoor portion of the shoot. I’m greeted in the sitting room by Browne, quiet and polite with a firm handshake, and Hector, who—ever the gentleman—offers me his seat on the green damask-upholstered couch. The wiener dog’s larger-than-life reputation precedes him, and that is not an exaggeration: He is the blueprint for Browne’s Hector bag, a purse quite literally made in his image. I almost feel as though I know Hector before I meet him, seeing as his likeness is ever-present among the fashion milieu. But the pup is far more lively (and furry) than his leather counterparts, wagging his tail with vigor, bobbing and weaving between our legs.
It’s an unusually quiet morning for Hector, much to Browne’s surprise, especially given the crowd of unfamiliar people assembled for his cover shoot. “He barks at everything,” the CFDA president says. Every morning, in fact, Browne and Bolton let Hector roam the front yard, barking to his heart’s content from the safety of his enclosure.
As I prepare to leave, Browne instructs me to stand on the street side of the wrought-iron gate so that Hector can show me his fearsome howls. He bounds out of the door, still dressed in his little sweater; centers himself on the steps in front of the brick mansion’s arched doorway; and proceeds to let it all out. But when Browne instructs Hector to come inside, the dog stays put, no end to his woofing in sight. “Come on, sweetie!” he calls after him, his voice traveling up the octave. “Hector, come on. Hector. Come on. Sweetie,” Browne says, his voice growing more terse, like a parent negotiating with a stubborn toddler. Eventually he gives up, heading back into the house and letting Hector stay outside to bark with abandon. After all, while everyone may be outfitted in Thom Browne, they’re really living in Hector’s world.
Below, Thom Browne answers Vogue’s Dogue questionnaire.
Vogue: What is your dog’s best quality?
Thom Browne: I guess his spirit? And he’s so cute.
Who would voice your dog in a movie?
Daniel Day-Lewis.
Do you use a voice to talk to Hector?
Oh, yeah, I’m not gonna do that. [Laughs] Parents, I’m sure, you have voices that you don’t want to leave the house?
What is your dog’s weirdest nickname, and how did you come up with it?
He’s just Hector or Heckie.
Where is one place you wish you could take your dog?
Everywhere. He’s not the best traveler. We took him to Europe a couple of times. We have a very funny story, I don’t know if I should…. [Publicist shakes head.] No. [Laughs.] We wish we could take him everywhere.
If you could tell your dog one thing, what would it be?
Don’t eat everything you see on the street! He has the most sensitive stomach.
What is the most human thing your dog does?
It’s his eyes. You look in his eyes, and he does seem like he knows what you’re saying.
What is the most dog thing your dog does?
Oh, barks. He barks at everything. We play a little game in the morning—we open the door, and we let him go out and bark to the neighborhood.
What is his full name?
Hector Browne-Bolton.
Astrological sign?
He’s end of January, so whatever that is.
Favorite toy?
His hedgehog.
Favorite meal?
He only gets his food because he’s very sensitive.
Worst habit?
When he throws up, he never has one place. It’s all over the house.
Strangest habit?
I don’t know if it’s strange, but he chases his tail.
What would Hector say is your worst habit?
Probably leaving him, traveling too much.
