A Critique and Appreciation of Modern-Day America Through Runway Design
Words by Maggie Ruan (@maggienotmag)
Photography, design, styling, and makeup by Maggie Ruan
Cover photo by Tallylah Buscher (@tillybuscher)
Strip away the holidays, the legal definition, the “look” and what is left in the core of American culture? A specific intensity, a grimey grit that is so ingrained within our nation.
The quality that is distinctively and relentlessly American is the compulsion to do whatever it takes to get whatever you want. It's a fuel that combusts in every engine, a force that once you step on American soil, is hard to not feel pulled by.
This was the thesis I relied upon to create my runway piece for the 2026 GARBage Runway.
In my nineteen-year exploration of identity, I find my relationship with my American birthright to be complicated. A nation with such a turbulent, nuanced history and an even more obfuscated present, a nation that I am a citizen of. In the past I criticized myself for being a hypocrite, for feeling pride in a country run rampant with corruption, being unable to look away from the good, the scientific advancements, the art, the music, the language I use every day.
But I’ve realized that my framing of this has been the issue in itself. How unrealistic to boil down my thoughts on a 300-year nation down to villain and hero! The nuance, the grey, is where the opinions should rest. Complexity is appreciated, if not commended in individuals, and should it not be in the grander scheme of societies? And what is a nation, our nation, but a collection of individuals and their actions?
With thrifted denim, lace, flannel, and five hours, I worked to capture this ambivalence into clothing. More about the process and composition of my piece, along with photos below.
Composition and process:
This piece was hand-sewn and hand-cut, done without any pinning or prior sketching. All materials were thrifted from Community Thrift in San Francisco. Solely cutting and trusting in my own abilities on my bathroom floor. This was an ode to the Chinese immigrant hustle I was so surrounded by growing up, and how I felt it holds up so much of American society and economy. It’s chaotic and rude and improper, but it's so headstrong and forward-willed that it ensures the only option is success.
Top:
Pockets of bedazzled denim sewn with cut lace from a long gown. Pristine and frilled to symbolize the ideal America. The frilling of the lace around the perimeter to symbolize the pervasiveness of the nation’s culture, and how American media—writing, music, art(my place of appreciation)—finds its way to Asian, European, Spanish, etc. people and pop culture.
Skirt:
Messy and chunky. The base is the waist area of a pair of jeans cut. Fragments of red and blue flannel sewn on both sides, layered with more lace, and white corduroy. Clothespins and star pins to adorn skirts to parallel and critique how many faults of the US were simply glazed over/ not addressed properly/ many quick fixes by the government. Artificially soiled by lipstick, concealer, and bronzer, which was a nod to the damaging effects of the beauty industry. Pieces sewn in askew and imperfect. The contrast between the top and the skirt captures the juxtaposition of many aspects of the nation: past vs. present, laws on paper vs. practice, expectation from an immigrant standpoint vs. reality. The contrast begs for audience interpretation of what frames are most pertinent to them to compare.
Bag:
A regular purse, wrapped in a trash bag. Symbols of the US (White House, Statue of Liberty, the Eagle, etc.) taped, then painted red over the tape lines. Speaking to the fragility of integrity, the red tape parallels the red lines on a board used in investigations, encouraging the audience to dig for critical thought.
Ode to Slayyyter and Hamilton:
A huge inspiration to me was Slayyyter. Not only in her Americana aesthetic and music, but also in how she has reattached meaning to a way of dressing that I resonate with. She redefines the idea that the stereotypical “American uniform” can be worn by anyone, with any beliefs. The makeup for my piece was heavily inspired by the dewy, princess-esque look from her MAC campaign.
Also had to give a nod to Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton– I’m not throwing away my shot! An exhilarating visual journey that renders the principles of our nation with notable people of color in the primary cast. First piece of media that made me truly, truly proud to be American. Captures the grittiness of American determination super well.
To Conclude:
If you’ve gotten to the end of this article, and you’re convinced you have a grasp on how I abhor or adore the Americas, then you’ve done a poor job reading.
The confusion in the piece, how one can recognize the almost musty, dingy staleness, but also the raw, authentic beauty within it, is the decision on the thesis itself. To be American is to embrace the moral grey: accept that there are fruitful, vibrant aspects of our past and culture, but also to hold the country accountable to its atrocities of the past, and even the current.
And that in all you do, the undeniable spirit in America is within you. Whether it's for evil or for good, whether your family has lived on US soil for hundreds of years or just a decade, the force is prominent, and yours as an American to yield.
Photo by Tallulah Buscher
Huge HUGE thanks to my model and muse: Thalia White (@thalia24th)
Additional photo credits:
https://www.instagram.com/p/Dba8ZTIgd08/
https://www.byrdie.com/americana-sleaze-fashion-trend-12036744
