Malan Breton Men's Spring 2016

It was all about a beachy lifestyle. Taiwan's most famous fashion designer Malan Breton created his spring 2016 collection for men around a blissful way of life. The main focus was on the fabrics. His menswear offerings mainly had a color palette of navy and white with a some bronze thrown in.

Natural fabrics of silk, cotton and bamboo for its heat-friendly properties were the heart of the collection. The batik technique was heavily featured as well as updated patterns of his native culture. Another tribute to his home country was the prominent use of traditional Hakka blue shirt in this presentation.

This season also marks the debut of Malan Breton Homme, the designer's brand of luxury accessories. There are cufflinks, eyewear and even skateboards on offer. He used brushed metals and enamels accented with Swarovski crystalss.

photos by Mariana Leung

Together with his press manager Bonnie Bien, they duo screened their collaborative documentary following Malan Breton's A Journey to Taiwan. It had first debuted and won awards at the New York International Film Festival. It is a beautifully shot film showing all of the colors, textures and inspiration Breton gets from his culture and gives back.

Some creatives and their press team have a great relationship. For a press manager to work with the designer to produce such a personal story on film is a truly special one. I love that my first show for NY Men's Fashion Week presented such a great start. Enjoy the beauty of Malan Breton Men's Spring 2016.

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Malan Breton Brides & Grooms 2016

The young couples of Malan Breton always have a nostalgic quality to them. They silhouettes are like an optimistic prom from the 1950's, but with contemporary color palettes and a lot more diversity.

The brides did not stick with traditional white, but soft colors and romantic patterns. There were even some beautifully tailored suits fit for the feminine body for brides who prefer to wear the pants or ladies who serve as the best man at a wedding. The grooms had a range of hues to choose from as well. In addition to the classic black and white, there were rich blues, champagne, pewter to a stunning fuschia.

I love Breton's use of color and luxurious fabrics in this and his main collection. He shows you can dress with a classic esthetic but without being stuffy or bland.

He's one of the biggest cheerleaders for his home country of Taiwan. In the same month as presenting this bride and groom's fashion show simultaneously on the Empire Hotel Rooftop, he is also debuting his film (didn't you know he was a film director too?) at the Director's Guild of America. Everyone from Daniel Craig, Michael Buble to Kerry Washington and Ariana Grande count themselves as fans.

Update 4/30/2015: 

I just returned from a screening of Malan Breton and Bonnie Bien's film debut of The Journey to Taiwan. I have to say it was an absolutely beautiful love letter to Breton's home country. The colors, his visual storytelling, along with his own narration of his journey really captured the soul of what inspires a fashion designer.

Both in the film and an emotional Q & A afterwards, he spoke of his grandmother as the most beautiful and stylish woman he had ever encountered. She was a fan of French Haute Couture, but also re-made her favorite European silhouettes with traditional Chinese fabrics. You can definitely see how this aesthetic imprinted onto Malan Breton's own design work. His recent NY Fashion Week shows have all included elegant western styling blended with the most beautiful Chinese silks and Chinese details.

I can't wait to see the next step in Malan Breton's beautiful journey!
photos by Mariana Leung

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