RUNWAY: Thom Browne FW15

Thom Browne's penchant for theatrics can get out of hand but when he's able to pull himself back from the brink of ostentatiousness, his shows can be quite good. Take his FW15 runway show, a procession of mourners in all black. There was nary a fabric in existence that didn't make it into the collection, in the hopes of adding dimensions and depth to the morbid and morose collection. Indeed they did. Fur, tulle and taffeta softened the looks and played on this season's theme of masculine/feminine clothing. Top hats with veils, morning (or in this case, mourning) coats, and exquisite tailoring were some of the highlights while the "play" Browne orchestrated - the reason for the funeral - was probably unnecessary and likely took away from the excellent clothing. The clothes spoke for themselves, so much so that anything extra was just that.