Night At The Museum
Grazia|June 2019

Behind the plumage and excess from the first Monday of May lay the hidden cues that might shape the industry in the year ahead

Tanya Mehta
Night At The Museum
It all began with the video of a bare-faced Kim Kardashian being painstakingly laced into a breath-constricting corset by an entourage of hands, turning the circumference of her waist into an inexplicably tiny measure (maybe that itself was the essence of ‘Camp’ – extreme proportions). The Met Gala, aka ‘Fashion’s Oscars’ never fails to evoke, it’s the ritualistic goodness of watching your favorite celebrities step out of the comfort zone of traditional red carpet dressing and throw on their most eccentric, conversation triggering outfits, courtesy your best-loved designers. And this year’s edition, based on American author Susan Sontag’s pivotal essay, Notes on ‘Camp’, drew ambiguous results. Miss Kardashian later went onto don a sheer mini dress by Manfred Thierry Mugler. Dripping in crystals, the outfit, resembling a notorious ‘wet T-shirt’, referenced Sophia Loren’s soaked look from the 1957 film Boy on a Dolphin.

That same evening, Lady Gaga, a co-chair for the gala, redefined the term ‘making an entrance’. Flanked by a posse of fabulously suited men, and designer Brandon Maxwell, who created her outfit, Gaga wafted into the venue in a gargantuan fuchsia cape dress. What unfolded was a series of outfit changes, as she preened, crawled and even made up her face, all in various stages of undress, caricaturing a pin-up girl. There were also the Jenner sisters, impersonating exotic birds in feathered Versace gowns, making them easy meme targets. That’s the thing about Camp, it’s ridiculous and unexpected.

In her treatise, Sontag states, “Camp taste has an affinity for certain arts rather than others. Clothes, furniture, all the elements of visual decor, for instance, make up a large part of Camp. For Camp, art is often decorative art, emphasizing texture, sensuous surface, and style at the expense of content”.

Denne historien er fra June 2019-utgaven av Grazia.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra June 2019-utgaven av Grazia.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA GRAZIASe alt
Cultural Renaissance
Grazia India

Cultural Renaissance

With a vision to bridge Jaipur's artistic legacy and the global contemporary art world, HH Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh and Noelle Kadar launch the Jaipur Centre for Art

time-read
3 mins  |
October 2024
LOVE, LOSS, AND LESSONS LEARNED
Grazia India

LOVE, LOSS, AND LESSONS LEARNED

In conversation with Durjoy Datta, as he reflects on the emotional toll of writing intense stories, his journey as an author, and how his latest book revisits themes of love, second chances, and loss

time-read
3 mins  |
October 2024
All Eyes On THIS
Grazia India

All Eyes On THIS

Meet the newest standout brands on Grazia's beauty desk

time-read
2 mins  |
October 2024
Is Restocking Our Fridges A New Form Of Self-Care?
Grazia India

Is Restocking Our Fridges A New Form Of Self-Care?

All the reasons why #restocking may not be as calming as it seems

time-read
5 mins  |
October 2024
SAVOUR THE TASTE OF SOUTHEAST ASIA
Grazia India

SAVOUR THE TASTE OF SOUTHEAST ASIA

In the heart of our capital lies an extraordinary dining experience, unlike any other

time-read
2 mins  |
October 2024
ESCAPE THE ORDINARY
Grazia India

ESCAPE THE ORDINARY

Luxury stays are now an essential part of our lives.

time-read
2 mins  |
October 2024
CHEFS ON THE LOOSE
Grazia India

CHEFS ON THE LOOSE

Here's How Pop-Ups, Takeovers, and Workshops Are Heating Up the Indian Culinary Scene

time-read
5 mins  |
October 2024
NOT SO HIDDEN
Grazia India

NOT SO HIDDEN

What's making everyone wear acne patches, from transparent ones to colourful with bold designs, in public spaces?

time-read
3 mins  |
October 2024
RAISING THE BAR
Grazia India

RAISING THE BAR

With medi-facials on the rise, we're setting new benchmarks of our expectations from these treatments, and they're delivering

time-read
4 mins  |
October 2024
WHAT WORLD ARE WE LEAVING BEHIND FOR HER?
Grazia India

WHAT WORLD ARE WE LEAVING BEHIND FOR HER?

Despite stronger laws, crimes against women continue to rise in India. The International Day of the Girl Child is not one for celebration, but instead, one for igniting concern, awakening, and reformation

time-read
5 mins  |
October 2024