Tag: Bob Mackie

Camping at the Met

Camp at the Met - Voguing with Karen Rempel, New York Model
Voguing at the Met’s Camp exhibit

The Met has an exhibit called Camp: Notes on Fashion. This year’s Met Gala celebrated the exhibit, which is part of The Costume Institute at the Met. The exhibit examines how the elements of irony, humor, parody, pastiche, artifice, theatricality, and exaggeration are expressed in fashion. Not to mention food!

Here are some of my favorite pieces from the exhibit.

I would love to wear one of these gorgeous gowns to the next gala at the National Arts Club! An inspired pairing…

Camp at the Met - Venus on the halfshell
Spanish designer Cristoba Balenciaga evening dress (1951), black silk velvet and pink silk taffeta.
French designer Thierry Mugler “Venus” ensemble (1995-96 haute couture), bodysuit of beige synthetic powernet embroidered with clear paillettes and pearl beads; dress of black silk velvet and pink silk satin with pink and blue silk satin roses.

Here’s a variation on wearing the lampshade on your head. There’s so much going on here, the mind boggles. David Hockney swimming pool, suit of armor, art deco shapes, wetsuit zipper. And so cute!

Camp at the Met
British designer Mary Kathantzou ensemble, 2011. Top of polychrome printed cotton-synthetic crepe; skirt of polychrome printed synthetic satin and white synthetic velvet trimmed with clear crystals.
Bob Mackie gown
When you think Bob Mackie, you must think Cher! This 2008 dress is nude synthetic tulle embroidered with iridescent crystals, clear seed beads, and clear paillettes; headpiece of white silk organza and white felt embroidered with polychrome crystals and iridescent paillettes.
Green twins
Wild and Lethal Trash ensemble (1996); jacket of yellow PVC, bodysuit of purple synthetic spandex knot.
French designer Jean Paul Gaultier dress (1995-6) of synthetic plain weave.
Leftovers?
This is making me hungry. According to Andrew Rose, camp is the “inherent funniness of leftovers.”
The Italian design House of Moschino (Jeremy Scott) “TV Dinner” ensemble (2019-20). Cape of jute plain weave, polychrome foam, and silver spandex knit; romper of green synthetic plain weave embroidered with green paillettes.
Souper dress
“The Souper” dress, à la Andy Warhol, 1966-67. You know how much I love the Campbell’s Soup theme!