There were eight other butterflies in the show. The ninth was Schreiber, who was the only model to enter the onstage chrysalis and come out transformed in a new ensemble that referenced Browne’s iconic grey suit.
“I knew that I wanted to have a butterfly moment that was more of a performance, and knowing that Kai could move, I wanted her to be the focus and the star,” says Browne. And though this is her first time working with the famed designer, Schreiber has long been a fan of Browne’s. “I always remember being excited for Thom Browne during Fashion Week, because he was always going to have something fun, something weird and funky…like aliens on the runway,” she says, referencing his spring-summer ’26 show, “We Come in Peace.”
A native New Yorker, Schreiber was particularly chuffed to star in Browne’s dance-forward New York show. (Browne usually opts to show his clothes in Paris.) “I used to study dance and classical ballet at LaGuardia. When I heard that this show was very classical-ballet themed, it got me really excited because, since graduating from LaGuardia, I haven’t really found a way to reinvolve dance in my life again,” she says. “I couldn’t stay trying to train to become a professional because that wasn’t what I wanted.”
In Browne’s show, Schreiber could combine her two passions—modeling and dance. Browne had her strike poses that blended the world of high-fashion modeling and modern dance.
Schreiber and models at Thom Browne’s spring 2027 women’s collection show,Corey Tenold
In another bit of synergy, Schreiber transferred into a beautiful Browne butterfly days after becoming the first trans girl to receive the title of breakthrough model of the year. The significance is not lost on Schreiber. “I don’t even know how to explain it. That feeling where you’re being acknowledged for who you are, someone just giving you a pat on the back and saying, ‘Well done,’” she says. Schreiber is well aware of her place in the lineage of LGBTQ+ history. “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the trans girls and boys who paved the way for me and who have been here longer than me,” she adds. “I have to thank them every step of the way. It’s an honor.”
