Camp! Camp! Camp!
Taking a break from all the music noise to dive into the deep waters of camp.
What exactly is Camp?
Vox describes the 2019 Camp Met Gala theme, as a “seriousness that fails”. It blurs the line between art and parody, creating a celebration of style and artifice. Camp is either wearing a work of art or being the work of art. You cannot fully execute the art of camp without queer.
Here’s a rundown of fashion designers who scream Camp!!! through their fashion creations.
Bob Mackie
Fashion designer Bob Mackie introduced glamour and glitz to the world of camp. Mackie was always one step ahead with using a sense of humor with excessive colorful daytime looks. He became Cher’s favorite designer, then designed for Elton John, Liza Minnelli, Diana Ross, and RuPaul. Mackie was the brains behind Carol Burnett’s curtain dress for her 1976 comedy sketch, “Went with the Wind”. My favorite part of this dress is the curtain rod holding the ensemble together.
Fun Fact!
The Carol Burnett Show inspired RuPaul’s Drag Race game show “Snatch Game”. Drag queens choose their best diva to impersonate in a vintage game show format. They have to stay in character and deliver their campiest parody. And the winner of the Snatch Game is… No one!
Rei Kawakubo
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Rei Kawakubo emits “anti-fashion” energy through her revolutionary Commes des Garçons line in 1969. According to Them. magazine, Kawakubo wanted to use whatever she thought was uncomfortable and revealing of women’s clothing. She wanted to make clothes worn “as boys did”. Kawakubo’s goal was to make over-the-top designs by overstepping the boundaries of traditional clothing trends. Rei Kawakubo later designed Rihanna’s avant-garde Met Gala gown.
Thierry Mugler
French high fashion designer, Thierry Mugler defines 1980s fashion through his futuristic and erotic campy designs. He uses science fiction to create his silhouettes and fine details for his supermodels, like Naomi Campbell. Drag queens adore him, Detox describes Mugler’s runway approach, “He made everybody look like a superhero or a supervillain”.
Thank you for reading this week’s newsletter!
Which camp design would you prefer to wear for your runway look? I choose the curtain rod dress.