Maggie Fan

Collection
My thesis collection is about "Vitality," the capacity to live and develop a "life force" that separates the living from the dead. An American writer, Andrew Solomon, once came up with one quote, "The opposite of depression is not happiness but vitality." As we live in this extreme & fast-paced & advanced society, our lives have substantially changed due to fast developments of technologies and environments; we begin to lose the initial pursuit of life. When we start losing vitality, we lose ourselves in the process, as long as our humanity, senses, and fullness. We become soulless and emotionless. So, my womenswear collection is about highlighting the beauty and importance of growth, recognizing the importance of vitality, and creating a breathable experience.  I aim to break out of this surface level we are busy living on and feel alive again.
I've crafted seven looks celebrating the beauty and significance of 'growth.' Each look is a visual representation of my journey to search back for vitality, with continuous silhouettes that symbolize endless possibilities. I also focus on capturing the moments between the flows and movements to slow everything down and breakthrough. My collection draws heavily from organic forms inspired by the intricate beauty of nature and the artistic movement of Art Nouveau. This fusion of natural and artistic elements forms the backbone of my design philosophy. My garments also speak for the wearers' movements and redefines their relationships with clothes. 
Image: Final Lineup.
Image: Research into movements, relationship between body & garment. Negative & positive spaces.
Image: Self-experiment engaged with drapery fabric, inspired by modern dance Loie Fuller and her Serpentine dance
.
Image: Experiments with synthetic hair. Symbolism of identity & growth. Important life span.
Image: Needle felted textile with merino wool. Finished with head-beading.
Image: Look 7. Entirely hand wet felted with merino wool. Finished with needle felting & hand beading.
Image: Shapes, silhouettes, and color stories inspired by organic & natural objects and Art Nouveau movement.

Bio

Maggie Fan is an emerging fashion designer born in Taiwan and currently based in New York. She draws inspiration from her personal stories and surroundings to motivate her creative process. Maggie's design philosophy focuses on feminism, strength, and self-realization. She enjoys exploring the relationship between the wearer and their body and aims to challenge and reset any negative or positive spaces. Maggie also loves experimenting with new ways for wearers to interact with her garments. Additionally, she invests heavily in her interest in the couture world, resulting in her always taking her time to craft unique textiles by hand. Art and fashion are inseparable for her; it is crucial to present a vision/story that speaks for itself.

Maggie launched her fashion label MA.GI in 2020 despite the challenges posed by COVID-19. Since then, her brand has collaborated with numerous stylists for magazine and media submissions and has been featured by several well-known media outlets.

Her journey has been enriched by a diverse range of experiences. She has completed internships at top designer brands in New York, such as Jason Wu and Marchesa, where she honed her skills mainly in couture works. She also interned at brands like Kim Shui & Jenn Lee (Taiwanese label), gaining more valuable insights into marketing and ready-to-wear. Maggie is always eager to learn, challenge herself to experience different fields in fashion, and be ready to immerse in this industry fully.