Saturday, September 23, 2017

Trend Report: Malan Breton SS18 //

Dear Readers,

There isn't a catwalk show I look forward to more than the Malan Breton show. The Taiwanese-born American designer established his eponymous brand back in 2005, and since then has created collections which challenge the forms of womenswear and menswear.

Midnight Blue Ruffle Dress

This season is inspired by a mythological take on the supernatural. This strong collection builds on this Victorian supernatural theme, by playing with textured fabrics, accent pastel colours and some show-stopping sparkle.

Breton knows how to power-dress a woman. He works continually to exhibit the female frame with intricate tailoring, tie-waist trench coats, double-breasted blazers and figure hugging PVC pieces.

The most show-stopping pieces featured a co-ord PVC ensemble that had a cream bustier and a long mustard coloured fishtail skirt which grazed the floor. This piece was very reflective of Breton's initial mystical theme.

It is to be noted that most of the PVC pieces use layering to create the illusion of scales or feathers on the garment.

Layered PVC

The other head turning garments were the slinky black, silver and grey dresses which oozed sex appeal. Breton knows how to use these flamboyant fabrics sparingly to create a tasteful collection. He also experiments with organza ruffles and fine feathers to simulate the plumage of a bird.

Malan Breton FROW: Left to right: Shanie Ryan, Unknown, Darby Ward, Taylor Ward, Unknown, Kimberly Garner

The menswear is experimental with oversized PVC double-breasted jackets and wide leg smart trousers, which are made playful by their floral prints. Breton contrasts the feminine floral print with the standout style of the rubber look jackets, to revive the traditional nature of the garments and blur the lines of the collection seamlessly from womenswear to menswear. His designs always take classic shapes and cuts, and works on reinventing them for a more modern look.