IG: @ryanjmaloney

Let Them Eat That Damn Cake! 

As a costume designer, 18th and 19th-century dress inspires me; from the feminine silhouettes with cinched-in waists and exaggerated large hips to the color palettes and fabrics. Inspired by the resourcefulness of queer communities, I challenged myself to work with limited, upcycled materials, using sugary, floral, and patterned fabrics reminiscent of 18th-century portrait colors. For my five uniquely constructed corsets, I used repurposed jeans for the corset interfacing and used affordable zip ties for boning. These corsets create cinched hourglass silhouettes and are paired with layered and asymmetrical ruffled skirts that mix clashing patterns for added drama. While each look has its own distinct shape, the collection is unified through its bold textures and colors and celebrates exaggerated femininity across diverse expressions and identities.

The art form of drag allows the performer to embody a new character. Ballroom spaces were created as places where queer people could express themselves freely without fear of rejection from a society that often excluded them for being different. Queer communities built something powerful and lasting, and this collection honors the legacy of ballroom and drag performers who fought for the freedom to be themselves through their expression and performances.

Bio

Ryan Maloney (born 2004 in Massachusetts) will receive a BFA in Textiles & Fashion from Maine College of Art & Design in May 2026.

As a fashion and costume designer, Maloney’s work spans multiple genres and periods to capture a story within each work.

In the spring of 2025, Maloney studied abroad at the London College of Fashion in London, England. He has worked as head costume designer for Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner, Massachusetts, for three years, and had an internship at the Portland Ballet as a costume designer intern.