Man Triumphs Machine In Malan Breton’s New York Fashion Week Collection

Malan Breton’s Spring Summer 2026 collection highlighted the “Heart of Humanity” on the runway at New York Fashion Week last Friday.

The collection was inspired by the tensions between technological advancement and humankind’s artistic innovation, told in a four-act narrative with an original score by Breton. 

(Courtesy of Maynard Villaflores/BFA.com)

Breton’s collection was shown in support of CaringKind, an organization that provides free programming for families affected by Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Act I, titled The Heart, honored the caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s for their compassion. The act featured bold evening gowns and suits, featuring black and turquoise. Models were draped in capes and adorned with bows, the metallic silk material catching and reflecting the Lèman Ballroom’s light.

(Courtesy of Maynard Villaflores/BFA.com)

Act II – Time was presented in collaboration with Japanese watchmaker King Seiko. It featured men’s suits, experimenting with metallic jackets, ties and brooches. Of course, models’ outfits were complete with Seiko’s sleek watches, a physical reminder of time’s gift. Some models carried boxy work bags down the runway, a playful indicator of humanity’s grit in the face of constant technological innovation.

(Courtesy of Maynard Villaflores/BFA.com)

Hair became a source of transformation in Act III, through wigs provided by Wigs.com. Cold, metallic accents combined with silks and pastels to demonstrate man and machine working in harmony. Boxy suits and flowy gowns were accentuated by gold and silver, enhancing the viewing experience by shifting color as models navigated the runway. Wigs included blunt black and blonde bobs, which were asymmetrically shaped and transformed by model.

(Courtesy of Maynard Villaflores/BFA.com)

The collection’s final act, aptly titled Legacy, examines and modernizes the Gilded Age’s impact on mechanization and humanity’s persistence to create. Late 1900s fashion like bell-shaped skirts and corsets combine with modern silhouettes and bright colors to create an enduring legacy, where past and present are placed in conversation. Tony Award-winning Broadway stars like Priscilla Lopez and Baayork Lee joined models on the runway, another testament to the legacy of creative arts today.

With today’s technological innovations like artificial intelligence, it’s easy to feel a looming threat — especially when it feels we can’t keep up with change. However, Breton’s collection argues that these innovations can’t exist without the heart and determination of humans. Much like real life, each piece works best when man and machine find harmony, and when we celebrate our unique ability to create.

(Feature photo courtesy of Maynard Villaflores/BFA.com.)