The Show Benefitted Charity CaringKind
Malan Breton presented his Spring Summer 2026 womenswear and menswear collections, bringing together the worlds of Broadway and high fashion in his show, “The Age of the Machine, The Heart of Humanity” at the Léman Ballroom in New York City. The show featured two of Broadway’s top stars, each a Tony Award winner, who walked the runway as living characters in Breton’s script-driven narrative.
Inspired by the tension between the Age of the Machine and the enduring Heart of Humanity, the SS26 collections are both futuristic and deeply poetic and are presented in four Acts – The Heart, Time, Transformation and Legacy.
Act I – The Heart in support of CaringKind honored compassion and the resilience of caregivers facing the challenges of Alzheimer’s. Act II – Time explores precision and the relentless march of time through collaboration with King Seiko, the legendary Japanese watchmaker. Act – III Transformation celebrates reinvention, and beauty as resilience. With Wigs.com and iconic hair stylist Vivienne Mackinder, and the final chapter, Act IV – Legacy, draws inspiration from the grandeur of the Gilded Age in collaboration with SohoMuse.
Drawing also on the opulence and grandeur of the Gilded Age, the designs reimagine the excess and elegance of that era for a modern world caught between technology and tradition. Silks, brocades, and master tailoring echo the ornamental richness of the late 19th century, while futuristic structures and a musical narrative thrust the garments firmly into the present and future.
Malan Breton
Photos: BFA / Maynard Villaflores / Danny Chin
Notable attendees included: Malan Breton, Jessica Pimentel, Tony winner Danny Burstein, Mêle Mel, Noel Ashman, Carmen D’Allesio, Tony winner Priscilla lopez, Tony winner Baayork Lee, Jean Shafiroff, Consuelo Vanderbilt-Costin, and Tony winner Lucia Hwong Gordon.
An additional first at the show, Malan Breton debuts as both designer and composer. The SS26 menswear and womenswear collections were presented with an original score written by Breton himself, blending orchestral arrangements with futuristic soundscapes. The music mirrored the collections’ narrative: a dialogue between mechanical precision and human emotion.
The show was held in support of charity, Caring Kind and show sponsors included King Seiko, Sohomuse and wigs.com. partners for the Show include Back Of Bottle, Odilis lashes, and Sohomuse. Hair was provided by Back of Bottle and beauty by Odilis lashes.
About Malan Breton:
Malan Breton is a multi-hyphenate, award-winning creative from Taipei, Taiwan, recognized by British Vogue as “The Most Influential Designer You’ve Never Heard Of” and hailed by Yahoo News as “The Internet’s Favorite Designer” with more than 100 international awards and honors, his career spans fashion, film, television, and music. In fashion, Breton presents on schedule, at major Fashion Weeks worldwide, with collections worn by Dame Emma Thompson, Priyanka Chopra, Janelle Monáe, Billy Porter, Kylie Minogue, Lorde, and many others. His work has been featured on over 200 magazine covers, including Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, and GQ, photographed by icons such as Rankin and Ellen von Unwerth.
On screen, Breton starred in The Malan Show on Bravo, appeared on Project Runway and in Zoolander, and co-hosted for MTV fashion programs, as well as guest-hosted Top Model internationally. His designs have become storylines in over 40 prime-time TV shows and graced red carpets from the Academy Awards, Tony Awards, and Golden Globes to the BAFTAs and Cannes. Malan also achieved a top ten chart placement on the French music charts.
As a filmmaker, Breton has directed award-winning fashion films including Je Suis Mona (2024) and Immortal, a BAFTA-qualifying short, with his first film, Malan Breton – A Journey to Taiwan, honored by the Taiwan Government. In 2025, he will direct and choreograph the feature film 莉莉, blending martial arts, music, and fashion. Guided by his motto, “Wherever you go, shine…”, Breton continues to expand his creative universe across design, film, and performance.
About CaringKind:
CaringKind is a leading nonprofit dedicated to supporting individuals impacted by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. As a trusted partner in care, CaringKind empowers people living with dementia, their care partners, and the wider community through expert guidance, comprehensive education, and life-enhancing programs. From personalized care consultations and a trusted helpline to early-stage engagement initiatives and specialized training, CaringKind meets people wherever they are on their journey, ensuring no one faces dementia alone. Each year, CaringKind touches thousands of lives nationwide by extending its expertise through education, national partnerships, and community resources. Together, these efforts make living well with dementia possible.
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