Camp Fashion: Modern Identity

Extended Essay in Visual Arts

CAMP FASHION: MODERN IDENTITY To what extent is Camp useful to stylize the effect of personal and gender expression on fashion and how was it represented in the ​Camp: Notes on fashion​ 2019 exhibition?

Christopher Bailey for Burberry. Cape, autumn/winter 2018–19. Gift of Burberry. Photo © BFA.com/Zach Hilty

Word Count: 3702

1

Index

Introduction

2

FASHION, IDENTITY AND CONTEXT

6

FASHION, GENDER AND SEXUALITY

10

THE DOUBLE SENSE OF FASHION

14

Conclusion

18

Bibliography Sources Images

20 20 20

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Introduction “[Camp] is one way of seeing the world as an aesthetic phenomenon.”1 When analysing art, there are three things to take into account: function and purpose, formal aspects, and cultural effect. These also apply when analysing an art movement or a stylistic sensibility, such as Camp. Specifically, the word ‘Camp’ originates from the french ​se camper,​ “to stand boldy”. This gives a brief idea of what its aesthetic intentions are. It is rare that something ​campish occurs unnoticed. This leads to a strong and ostentatious cultural effect; almost everything ​campish has a strong media impact. It causes a division within its recipients into those who love it and those who hate it, but no one finds it indifferent. Camp makes reference to multiple themes, such as theater, childhood, play, enjoyment, seduction, sexuality, humor and illusion. Most of the time, these are presented in a way in which they form a double sense. Camp, being a mode of aestheticism, has its own formal aspects and characteristics. Principally excess, repetition and extravagance. Bows, nature, iconography and feathers are the most commonly used to achieve these effects. Andrew Bolton exemplifies Camp in the phrase “Having one logo isn’t Camp, but having a whole suit completely emblazoned with logos is Camp.” (The Met, 2019). By using symbols and repetition, a message is adhered to an object. As the final product is striking, it generates a strong cultural effect.

When referring to fashion, this effect can end up in a trend.

1

​Sontag, S. (1964). ​Notes on 'Camp'.​ 6th ed. UK: Penguin Random House. Note nº1

3

Lorrie Moore said that “a great part of art is located within the limits, the contours of the human being” (Moore, 2019). These limits combine to form the paradigm where almost everything known to man lies within. The ‘Camp’ sensibility sets out to exaggerate, manipulate and humour it. All this occurs via the Camp aesthetic and style. This aesthetic goes back to the Art Nouveau principle of stylization and decoration. Camp uses excess and extravagance that serves no practical purpose. With sexuality and identity as a theme, Camp mocks social concepts by transforming them into an aesthetic phenomenon while remaining independent. Camp doesn’t set out to be pretty, but to magnify and stylize its love for the unnatural.

The term ‘​Camp’​ was first described in written by Susan Sontag in her 1964 essay: Notes on ‘Camp’ (Sontag, 1964). In this essay, she interpreted ‘Camp’ as a ​sensitivity​.

55 years later, the interpretation and characteristics of this sensitivity were explained visually at the Metropolitan Museum of Art 2019 Costume Institute exhibition titled Camp: Notes on Fashion​. The curatorship of the most renowned fashion exhibition worldwide, hosted in one of the main art museums globally, was based on Sontag’s essay.

The exhibition was inaugurated by a gala the night before which serves as a fundraising event for The Costume Institute at the Met. The VIP guests attending the event are encouraged to wear outfits that go along with the exhibition’s theme. Therefore, it is an event that combines high fashion, celebrities, expression and fine arts. It is an event which guests usually use as an opportunity to go all out with their wardrobe and wear

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fashion extravaganzas. As Sontag said “Camp is the attempt to do something extraordinary” (Sontag, 1964).

Even though it is mostly presented as art, Camp is a sensibility that participates in all sorts of aspects of life. One of these is sexuality. Camp is a concept that cannot be defined as just one thing. This idea is reflected in the concept of gender-neutral people and non-binary sexual expression. ‘Camp’ fashion impulses a new and different perspective on what menswear, womenswear, drag, and costume are. The ​Camp: Notes on Fashion exhibition presents the ​Campish view on how sexuality, art, and self-expression combine.

An example of this is how some guest’s attire raised

confusion

as

to

whether

they

were

womenswear or menswear. Figure 1 shows Ezra Miller’s Burberry ensemble for the gala, which clearly reflects this uncertainty. Within Camp, sexuality is one important leitmotiv and fashion serves as a vehicle to express this combination.

Sexuality was an important component of the exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum that had its own section titled “Gender without genitals”. In this section, the idea of gender dressing and sexual modesty are explored and expanded to their maximum.

The purpose of this investigation is to analyze the role fashion has in personal and sexual identity. It also aims to study how ‘Camp’ and the expression of sexuality have

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evolved alongside since Sontag wrote her essay until they were reflected at Met Gala. It will focus on how this evolution was expressed via fashion, the most explicit and visual art form in which Camp can be detected, and the use of fashion as a medium for self-expression and artistic declaration. This investigation will explore the following question: How do gender and personal identity reflect on Camp fashion?

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FASHION, IDENTITY AND CONTEXT “Camp is the answer to the problem: How to be a Dandy in the age of mass culture.”2 Fashion, style, and clothing are studied as part of a society’s culture, which is impacted by the economical, political and environmental conditions. In addition, attire also takes a big role in shaping and defining a person’s identity. Fashion plays a crucial role in first impressions and preconceptions. It is one of the simplest ways to draw attention, whether good or bad.

It’s unavoidable for personal style to express an idea. Whether it is against or for it. Figure 2 shows two ways in which one concept can be translated into fashion in different ways.

The women’s catsuit transmits an idea of sexuality in a subtle and disguised way.

However, the menswear outfit transmits the same idea in a much more explicit and aggressive way. Usually, people tend to create their personal style by avoiding what they ​don’t want it to be. Therefore, good taste means having gone through an analysis of bad taste.

2

​ ​Sontag, S. (1964). ​Notes on 'Camp'.​ 6th ed. UK: Penguin Random House.

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Current technologies have greatly altered the way that fashion and art are spread through society. Social media contributes to the globalization of fashion by enabling everything to be available for the whole world. Therefore, the ‘exclusivity’ of a museum experience has decreased throughout time. Many times, museums have all their artworks online, where people can see them without leaving their homes. The traditional idea of the fashion show has also been changing. They have become a much more carefully curated experience, taking into account factors other than the products. Still, some designers are choosing to communicate their collections by using different areas of art. For example, Moschino’s Fall/Winter 2019 campaign was a miniseries of 9 episodes. It followed a short storyline, in which all the characters were shown wearing pieces from the new collection.

Showing clothing in an art gallery is part of the innovations regarding fashion presentation. As a result of the increase of fashion exhibited in museums and galleries, the division between fashion exhibitions, historical costumes and fashion displays have become more unclear. The outfit’s predominating purpose varies depending on what the exhibition is focused on. The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala clearly manifests this concept. A historical museum displays all types of art and fashion (including retail) in its Costume Gallery. Placing the exhibited attire into only one section of the three would not give a precise description.

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One of the outfits at the 2019 Met Gala with the most repercussions was Lady Gaga’s campish ensemble and performance. Gaga, who has been referred to as the “queen of Camp” (Vogue, 2019), stated that she knows that she intrinsically has a Camp soul (Okwodu, 2019). The first outfit featured bows, which Sontag labeled as part of pure, innocent Camp. She changed outfits two more times before revealing her undergarments and signature high heels. The four outfits evolved gradually in their sexualization. Every wardrobe change had a tighter fit and revealed more skin. This aspect displayed the concept that Camp is “a mode of seduction” (Sontag, 1964). The designer chose to alternate two colors which are highly contrasting not only visually but also in their symbolism. Pink is usually associated with femininity and romance. This saturated tone can also be related to passion and standing out. However, black is much more muted, which makes allusion to mystery, death and elegance. It is also considered a masculine color. In addition to the garments, Gaga wore multiple accessories that accentuate the idea of luxury and glamour. The sunglasses and umbrella incorporate weather as a factor, playing with the space and time of the performance. This resource supports the Camp concept of playing with nature. On the 7th note, Sontag says that

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“Nothing in nature can be campy...” (Sontag, 1964), but exaggerating and exploiting the idea of nature is precisely Camp.

This series of outfits are a clear example of how fashion can be a work of art, a costume and a reflection of one’s identity all at the same time. Gaga, along with designer Brandon Maxwell, mounted a ​campish performance for her entrance to the gala. This presentation not only contributes to the reshaping of the fashion show but it also fits the description of performance art. It only had the very campy purpose of enjoyment. Vogue magazine even called it “Camp in motion” (Okwodu, 2019). Nevertheless, the garments in the second and third outfits weren’t that far away from ‘wearable’ clothes.

A person and their clothing are two factors that constantly complement each other.

Sontag talked a lot about how pure Camp is unintentional. This concept is also accurate to style. The truest style is the most personal one, the involuntary one. An outfit is curated by a person's likes and dislikes, which are part of his or her personality.

Therefore it makes attire a reflection of human personalities and emotion. However, these items have multiple personal meanings and purposes which deviate when detached from a human being. It becomes a different object while remaining physically identical. Is a piece of art-fashion converted to Haute Couture or retail once it is worn by someone?

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FASHION, GENDER AND SEXUALITY “Camp is the triumph of the epicene style.” 3 Notes on ‘Camp’ was written as a response to the Pop Art movement, particularly to artist Andy Warhol. This vanguard dealt with popular everyday objects. Artists used these objects to express their personal opinions, whether for or against, on all sorts of matters. The most addressed ones were feminism and mass consumption, which were going through vast changes during the birth of Pop Art in the 1960’s. Camp serves a similar purpose in a more profound and metaphorical manner.

Camp has been used, and still is, as a vehicle for the evolution of the queer movement. Sontag referred to this combination in her essay by overlapping Camp and homosexual taste. Oscar Wilde has become an icon of this union since his homosexuality trials at the end of the 1890s. However, to quote Andrew Bolton, the curator of the Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute, “It was not only Wilde’s mode of existence that evidenced this symbolic

corporeal

formation,

it

was

also

his

self-presentation...” (The Met, 2019). His personality and mode of thought were translated into his attire, which is shown in figure 7. This photograph, along with others in the series, became classic of the writer. This ensemble brought Wilde’s position and thoughts with it. It enabled the 3

​Sontag, S. (1964). ​Notes on 'Camp'.​ 6th ed. UK: Penguin Random House.

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possibility for ideas to be spread in a visual manner by brands and individuals. In an interview, Andrew Bolton said: “Camp is the people who are heroes, but didn’t set out to be heroes”. This statement provides a perspicuous explanation of why Wilde, more than 60 years after his death, can be considered to represent Camp as a person, even though he wasn’t aware of it at the time.

Considering Wilde to be the living image of Camp paved the way towards percieving the queer identity as a visual concept. This image took lots of different shapes and forms. The Camp: Notes on fashion exhibition included a spectrum of ways in which it is represented in clothing and art. The Jean Paul Gaultier Spring/Summer 1998 ensemble shown in figure 8 was part of the exhibition and was described by Andrew Bolton as “a conflation of both masculine and feminine dress codes” (The Met, 2019). This outfit combines a typical eighteenth century womenswear silhouette with a twentieth century men’s suit.

The ornamentation of the corset is particular to the eighteenth century upper-class fashion. In this ensemble, two very traditional silhouettes for female and male clothing combine to form non-binary fashion. A resource used to achieve this is the choice of color. Even though black is usually associated with menswear, having an almost entirely monochrome outfit blends the two pieces.

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However, ​Gay Left magazine criticized Sontag’s essay by stating that “Camp is the means by which gay men may become woman-identified” (Britton, 1978). They called out the Camp sensibility for effeminating gay men as Sontag had made direct mention of the relationship between homosexuals and Camp taste in her essay by pointing out how a large number of homosexuals promote the aesthetic sense. More than 40 years later, the “Gender without genitals” section of the ​Camp: Notes on fashion exhibition explores this concept through fashion. This section expresses a new perspective on how Camp allows for a ridiculization of the ideal of masculine and feminine and then destroys it.

First, stereotypes and symbols of both genders are used to ridicule this idea. Figure 9 shows two outfits from the Met exhibition. The menswear outfit (left) accentuates a typical ‘manly’ body figure through inflatable pads. At the same time, the sheer tights sexualize the bottom half of the male figure. The womenswear outfit (right) also uses inflation to highlight the female figure. Both designers chose sensual parts of each gender but avoiding genitalia generates a less sexual effect. Both outfits make reference to the patriarchal definition of the two genders. For the man, it’s the idea of being strong and fit whereas for the woman it’s being used for reproduction. These two outfits mock these stereotypes by using humor, excess, and exaggeration.

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The outfit on figure 10 shows how modern designers are choosing to eliminate the idea of gender dressing. The flowy silhouette is usually associated with womenswear, which makes the ensemble look as a women’s robe and not as it’s actual purpose of a male wedding ensemble.

The high neckline and waterfall effect in the sleeves and skirt rim give a sense of altitude to the outfit. White has been used to refer to purity and virginity, which has therefore led to it being part of a woman’s wedding attire.

In this piece, the designer looked to eliminate this relationship. He took feminine symbols and assigned them to men, therefore eliminating them.

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THE DOUBLE SENSE OF FASHION “What [camp] does is offer for art (and life) a different - a supplementary - set of standards.”4

To say something is ​campish is to call it extravagant, ostentatious and engaging. It also makes it a reflection of irony, humor, theatricalisation, excess, and exaggeration. Camp is the paragon of using fashion as a mode of expression.

The Swan Dress (Figure 11) was part of the ​Camp: Notes on fashion exhibition. It was made by Marjan Pejoski for her autumn/winter 2000-2001 collection and came to the cultural eye at the 2001 Academy Awards when it was worn by the singer Björk. The color and material mimic dirty swan feathers. The reference to a swan is very minimal, showing only the orange beak and black part of the animal’s eyes. This dress is considered Camp for various reasons. First of all, visually, it appears costumey. It plays with the idea of a white tulle dress and has an exaggeration of feathers, a Camp staple. As mentioned in chapter 1, it is also campy because it humors nature and turns it into something extremely artificial. It also humored the Academy Awards ceremony itself as the attire for this event is usually black label. The designer commented on this in an interview and said that “everybody and everything deserves to be laughed at from time to time" (British Vogue, 2001). Last,

4

​Sontag, S. (1964). ​Notes on 'Camp'.​ 6th ed. UK: Penguin Random House.

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it reflects, in a comic way, Sontag’s note that says that “Camp is swan lake” (Sontag, 1964).

This dress was part of a ready-to-wear collection, it visually resembles a costume, it was worn by a celebrity to an awards show and it was exhibited in an art museum. That said, can it be considered exclusively couture, costume, retail or art? Raising this question is a typical effect of Camp clothing. This leads to much deeper questions: What makes something art? What makes something wearable? What makes something a costume?

The context and purpose are dependent on each other. After seeing it at the Academy Awards, the ensemble had many recreations and parodies. It was found so extravagant that it was even considered to be a publicity stunt. It became an icon of both best and worst dressed.

Another

outfit

that

served

multiple

purposes is shown in figure 12. This Thom Browne wedding ensemble was the

closing

look

of

his

2018

spring/summer menswear collection. It arises from womenswear Haute Couture shows, where the last model usually wears a wedding dress. Additionally, it was worn by Zazie Beetz to the 2019 ​Camp: Notes on Fashion Gala and was part of the “Gender without genitals” section of the exhibition. This garment combines the most traditional icons of feminine and masculine clothing: wedding attire. At first glance, it appears as a men’s tuxedo with a white train. Once the person wearing the ensemble

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turns around, it can be seen that it's not only a train but a whole wedding dress. By being part of a menswear show and having the wedding dress hidden in the back, the ensemble talks about the hidden or repressed femininity in men. It comments on the patriarchal society’s obligation for men to be ‘masculine’ or ‘macho’. However, the feminine part of the outfit ​can b ​ e seen from the front, stating that it can’t, and shouldn’t, be suppressed. The hidden bride’s flower bouquet and the three white stripes on the left sock that make an allusion to a wedding garter, are two of the most iconic components of a woman’s wedding ensemble. This outfit illustrates clearly the ‘feminine side’ of all men. This concept of “things being what they are not” (Sontag, 1964) is a quality Sontag describes as Camp in the 8th note of her essay.

Without any information on the outfit’s placement in a menswear fashion show, it could easily be considered either as a feminine or masculine ensemble. This translates to gender identity conflicts present nowadays. The idea of only two sexes existing is rapidly dissolving and the difference between the terms ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ are becoming more clear. The evolution of gender gave rise to non-binary gender. This is directly related to androgyny, the style or visual representation of non binary. It mixes feminine and masculine dress codes to create a completely different concept. The Thom Browne wedding ensemble mentioned before can be labeled as androgynous or non-binary. It's a very literal and exaggerated way to express this stylistic abstraction, a ​campish way.

This ensemble combines all the ideas of identity, presentation, context and sexuality that were previously discussed. It uses humor and parody to communicate a serious message.

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Both garments addressed in this chapter combine multiple aspects into one. The Swan dress is mixed with different contexts to generate different effects. By doing so, the purpose and function of the piece changes. The wedding ensemble combines ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ to form non-binary. It shows the importance of the designers decision of placing it into a menswear show. They both have a distinct relation with seriousness. They are the perfect example of Sontag's 6th note: “Many examples of Camp are things which, from a “serious” point of view, are either bad art or kitsch.” In the two garments there is no swan, dress, wedding dress or tuxedo. There is however, a “swan”, a “dress”, a “wedding dress” and a “tuxedo”.

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Conclusion The biggest crossroad in analysing art and fashion is considering it as an independent object or as one attached to a person. In both cases, the formal aspects are the same.

The changes caused by the surroundings will affect its function, purpose and interpretation. As an independent object, the possible contextual changes are the physical placement, curation and surroundings. Clothing, when worn by someone, becomes a part of their identity and connects to that person's personal context. Camp fashion has its own purpose and ideas, which are assigned to a person who deliberately wears campy outfits. This type of fashion also has a connotation of affluence, as Camp can only occur in an affluent environment. It is the opposite of basic and useful, it is dandyism. The historical placement of the creation and exhbition fo these objects generate different cultural impacts. In other words, one can say that the function, purpose and cultural effect of a garment change depending on its context and location but its formal aspects stay the same.

This analysis of fashion has greatly inluenced the queer culture. It enabled a space to alter the preset concepts of feminine and masculine and defy the patriarchal ideal of gender identity. Since the publication of ​Notes on ‘Camp’ until the ​Camp: Notes on Fashion exhibition, a large amount of artistical concepts and objects have become symbols of the queer movement. The Camp aesthetic, through fashion, uses these symbols to allow individuals to express their gender identity in a clear and effective manner. It has served as a way to visually represent a cultural movement.

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To conclude, Camp has evolved largely since the publication of ​Notes on ‘Camp’​. It has occurred alongside the evolution of fashion and fashion communication. It is used to express numerous present day issues and ideas in a humorous way and has played an important role in the expression of identity. The ​Camp: Notes on fashion exhibition combined modern and historical Camp garments. Brands who have Camp in their essence, were also paid homage in the exhibition. The exhibition, and each ensemble in it, clearly demonstrated a certain message without being too aggressive, epitomizing what Camp is all about.

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Bibliography Sources Sontag, S. (1964). ​Notes on 'Camp'​. Print. 6th ed. UK: Penguin Random House.

Bolton, A. (2019). ​Camp: Notes on Fashion.​ Print. New York, USA: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Bugg, J. (2010) The Shifting Focus: Culture, Fashion & Identity. Print. The Korean Society of Costume, National Museum of Korea in collaboration with Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea, 2010, p.23-30 Kaiser, S. B. (2013). ​Fashion And Identity​. Love To Know. Web. Available at: https://fashion-history.lovetoknow.com/fashion-history-eras/fashion-identity​. Accessed 1 Mar 2020.

The Met. (2019). ​Camp: Notes On Fashion Gallery Views | Met Fashion. W ​ eb. Available at: ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCEGrsVa4cU​. Accessed 15 Mar 2020.

Britton, A. (1978) ​FOR Interpretation - Notes Against Camp.​ Print. Gay Left, 1978, pp.

11 - 14 Vogue. (2019). Lady Gaga's Red Carpet Entrance | Met Gala 2019 With Liza Koshy.

Web. Available at: ​https://youtu.be/ZL_je3xmBvs​. Accessed 11 Mar 2020.

British Vogue. (2001). ​Egg Surprise​. Web. Available at: https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/egg-surprise​. Accessed 22 Mar 2020.

Okwodu, J. (2019) ​See How Lady Gaga Pulled Off The Greatest Met Gala Entrance Of All Time.​ Vogue. Web. Available at: https://www.vogue.com/article/lady-gaga-met-gala-2019-entrance-behind-the-scenes-vi deo​.

Moore, L. (2019). ​Sobre Escribir​. Eterna Cadencia. Web. Available at: https://www.eternacadencia.com.ar/blog/ficcion/item/sobre-escribir.html

Images Cover image: ​Bolton, A. (2019). ​Camp: Notes on Fashion​. Print. New York, USA: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. pp. 3, book 2.

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Figure 1: ​Ezra Miller In A Burberry Ensemble At The 2019 Met Gala Getty Images.

2019. Web. Available at: https://www.vogue.com/article/ezra-miller-met-gala-2019-beauty​. Accessed 1 Mar 2020.

Figure 2: ​Bolton, A. (2019). ​Camp: Notes on Fashion​. Print. New York, USA: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. pp. 54, book 2.

Figures 3 to 6: ​Lady Gaga at the 2019 Costume Institute Gala wearing four custom Brandon Maxwell outfits. ​Okwodu, Janelle. (2019). ​See Lady Gaga’s Epic Met Gala Entrance—And The Look That Launched 1,000 Memes.​ ​Vogue​. ​Web. Available at: https://www.vogue.com/article/lady-gaga-met-gala-2019-camp-red-carpet​. Accessed 8 Mar 2020.

Figure 7: ​Sarony, Napoleon. Metropolitan Museum Of Art, New York, 1882.

Figure 8: ​Bolton, A. (2019). ​Camp: Notes on Fashion​. Print. New York, USA: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. pp. 87, book 1.

Figure 9: ​Bolton, A. (2019). ​Camp: Notes on Fashion​. Print. New York, USA: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. pp. 58, book 2.

Figure 10: ​Bolton, A. (2019). ​Camp: Notes on Fashion.​ Print. New York, USA: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. pp. 56, book 2.

Figure 11: ​Bolton, A. (2019). ​Camp: Notes on Fashion.​ Print. New York, USA: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. pp. 33, book 2.

Figure 12: ​Bolton, A. (2019). ​Camp: Notes on Fashion.​ Print. New York, USA: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. pp. 55, book 2.