In 1964 Susan Sontag, an American writer and intellectual, wrote an essay called “Notes on Camp” in which she defined Camp as a particular sensibility, “a variant to sophistication but hardly identical with it”. Sontag went on by saying that Camp finds its roots in the unconditional love for artifice, exaggeration, esoterism, rather than being an idea, an articulate thought process.
In 2019, Costume Institute of Metropolitan Museum of New York tried to celebrate this spirit. The event “Camp: Notes on Fashion” saw various magnificent clothes hitting the red carpet, and some more than others have completely succeeded in portraying the essence of such a fascinating genre.
Gucci has surely dominated the scene. The Italian brand was the co-host of the event, but it was also the one that registered a radical change of direction under the guidance of designer Alessandro Michele.
Indeed, is really from him that one could start talking about Camp in capital letters: the roman designer wore a pink suit with majestic ruffles in the front, a style that recalled the one of the 80s. Together with him, Harry Styles. Obviously in Gucci, the British popstar wore a total black suit with a see-through top and so much lace to complete the look. The pearl earring that recalls an aesthetic even older than the 80s, has definitely been the distinctive touch.
Between the Gucci women, Florence Welch and Saoirse Ronan were the ones who excelled the most. The singer in Florence + The Machine looked almost fairy and mysterious. Saoirse Ronan wore a sequined red dress adorned with two gold dragon heads on the shoulders. The Irish actress looked definitely regal.
Going on with the Gucci tale, Jared Leto never fails to impress, this time wearing a red Gucci dress with his own head as an accessory.
Naomi Campbell was absolutely divine in in his pink Valentino Haute Couture with long feathers to adorn her shoulders as a delicate cape. Majestic was also Serena Williams in her yellow Atelier Versace and Off White x Nike Sneakers shoes.
Sequins and feathers for Kylie and Kendall Jenner too, both sisters wore Versace, respectively in bright violet and orange.
A great achievement was the one of Livia Firth, who succeeded in combining Camp’s spirit with sustainability. Co-founder of EcoAge, she wore a dress created by British designer Richard Quinn. The dress was entirely made of sustainable fabrics coming from an Italian industry.
Journalist and fashion critic Hamish Bowles was flawless in Maison Margiela. The dress, composed by a feather-trimmed cape with purple suit, leaves you enthusiastic and positively entertained.
The one of Camp is a very vast and difficult world to interpret in an exhaustive definition, this was a challenge that the Met has achieved in portraying partially. The risk in conveying Camp lies behind a little comprehension of the theme or in an excessive absurdity that can subvert its original sensibility about which Sontag talked about. Not so perfect maybe, were Katy Perry’s dresses, the lamp first and the hamburger after that, or the last one presented by Lady Gaga, who first started with a magnificent pink dress by Brandon Maxwell and finished her four acts in a black underwear with crystals applied on.
Spectacularism is intrinsic in Camp but when it becomes too overthought it stops being purely Camp, if one follows the definition given by Sontag.
A classic and fine Camp was the one presented by Anna Wintour, in a pink dress with feathers and sequins and the one of Alexa Chung, who wore a sequined mini-dress with red and yellow flowers embroidered on it, together with a coordinated mini-bag and a French style beret.
written by Ludovica Mucci
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