MET GALA 2019: AESTHETIC CAMP STYLE

Yesterday took place the MET gala 2019 in New York, a party that is undoubtedly a date to mark in the fashion calendar. But you will ask, what exactly is this gala? When did it begin to be important and why? In today's post I'll explain it to you!

To begin, we will explain what MET is. These acronyms refer to the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. This gala, which is held every year on the first Monday in May since 1948, is a charity event that kicks off the annual MET fashion exhibition. This gala is known for bringing together all kinds of celebrities and fashion designers, who take the opportunity to show off and give visibility to their most exclusive pieces. The co-president of the gala is Anna Wintour and each year has a host of hosts. This year the hosts of the MET gala have been Alessandro Michele, Harry Styles, Lady Gaga and Selena Williams. In order to celebrate this spring exhibition, the guests dress according to the theme of the exhibition, that this year is the aesthetic camp.

But what is the aesthetic camp? Why does the MET dedicate its exhibition this year?

The theme of the exhibition this year is developed around the essay of the writer, novelist, philosopher, teacher, film director and US scriptwriter Susan Sontag called "Notes on Camp" published in 1964. In this essay, Susan breaks down in 58 points all the possible meanings of a term with relative strength. Reading the text means putting on a kind of glasses with which to see reality in another way. The allusions follow each other on a journey that goes from cinema to literature, through painting or architecture. Some examples could be: The buildings of Gaudí in Barcelona; The asexual figures of the lamps and ashtrays of Art Nouveau; Swan Lake; The tenebrist paintings of Caravaggio; The entrances to the Paris metro designed by Hector Guimard in 1890 in cast iron with the shape of an orchid stem ... A cultural spectrum of the most varied type lodged under a four-letter umbrella: Camp.

And what about the camp in fashion? The term Camp comes from the French verb "se camper" which could be translated as "exaggerated pose". It arises from the opulence of the French court during the reign of Louis XIV. Susan defines this concept as "love for the unnatural, for artifice and exaggeration. Camp is esoteric, an emblem of identity." Camp is an aesthetic that focuses on irony, parody, exaggeration and theatricality, aspects that can easily be expressed through fashion. To the point that throughout history this aesthetic has been related to the queer culture, from Oscar Wilde to the drag queens. In short, a style of personal expression that is absurdly exaggerated and artificial, that fuses elements of haute couture and pop culture.

Undoubtedly, this exhibition of MET will be one of the most complex and deep in terms of fashion is concerned but it was still necessary in 2019. Andrew Bolton, curator of the exhibition explained a few months ago the need to go in 2019 to "Camp" precisely because of its activism, because the frivolous vision of fashion can be a very powerful, empowering and sophisticated political tool.

Therefore, if you plan to visit NY in the coming months, you can not miss this magnificent exhibition of fashion, culture, history and art that will be at the MET until September 8, 2019. If you have any questions or want to share your vision about this theme ... leave us your comment! See you in the next post!

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