NYC VIBE appreciates when the work is good, special, and different. When a New York Fashion Week runway show is so much more, it creates a long-lasting impression. That is exactly what Taiwanese-born fashion designer Malan Breton accomplished back in February 2017 at Madison Square Garden.

NYC VIBE first met Malan the September before and came away deeply impressed, vowing to cover his very next show in order to learn more, which we did.

Granted special access backstage to see firsthand how Malan operates, we were amazed by the time and care that Malan took in explaining the individual roles he had in mind for each model. It was not just a catwalk showing off clothes- it was an immersive narrative about female empowerment, showcasing the lives and looks of women in 1940’s America to that of the modern American woman of 2017.

Malan pulled out all the stops- magnificent well-thought-out designs, a well-executed stage show, mesmerizing music all tied together with many underlying themes.

Models took to the expansive stage as black-and-white images were projected on a large screen and music of the era resonated throughout The Theatre at Madison Square Garden.

Backstage, Malan became emotional while describing the collection, explaining “This collection is about hope. I would hope it would give everyone a sense of who they are. And a sense of possibility.”

Celebrity models in Breton’s show included Frankie Grande, Angel Pai, Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin, Kiera Chaplin, Dylan Grieco, and Janine Tugonon, among others.