Runway photography courtesy of photographer extraordinaire, Jeff Eason.

As I sit in front of my laptop, with a near blank Word document in front of me…the one word that keeps coming to mind as I recall Project Runway alum Malan Breton’s show is…boring. The designer – who, in my brief meeting – was charming and relaxed backstage, showed an Asian and architecturally-inspired collection at the Metropolitan Pavilion on Wednesday, the final day of Spring 2008 Fashion Week. The rich fabrics chosen by the designer, including silks, bamboo, taffeta and organza, could not disguise silhouettes that for the most part felt dated and passé. The few highlights of the collection included a flowing silk stretch crepe de chine dress in black and chic high-waisted (crack, be gone), cotton sateen tap shorts with a crisp white cotton blouse.

Up close & personal – beauty backstage at Malan Breton.

Hair for Malan Breton was dramatic, yet again 1970’s inspired and oh-so Barbarella, with mega volume and lots of texture. Dramatic (and wholly unwearable in real life) eyeliner added an element of theatre and brightly colored lipstick was again the pucker du jour.

Breton’s charm was evident on the runway but missing in his collection.