OJ&B Takes You Inside The Met's Camp: Notes On Fashion Exhibition

Photo Credit: Jonathan Valdez of Orange Juice and Biscuits

The main room of the Camp: Notes on Fashion exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City

American writer Susan Sontag's 1964 essay "Notes on 'Camp'" provides the framework for The Metropolitan Museum of Art's latest exhibition, Camp: Notes of Fashion (on display through September 8th). Sontag's essay examines how the elements of irony, humor, parody, pastiche, artifice, theatricality, and exaggeration are expressed in fashion. The Met's Costume Institute's spring 2019 exhibition exhibition shows Camp through the lens of more than 250 objects dating from the seventeenth century to the present and explores the origins of camp's exuberant aesthetic.

Photo © Johnny Dufort via The Metropolitan Museum of Art Online

Bertrand Guyon (French, born 1965) for House of Schiaparelli (French, founded 1927). Ensemble, fall/winter 2018–19 haute couture. Courtesy of Schiaparelli. Photo © Johnny Dufort, 2019. Currently on display at the Met's Camp: Notes on Fashion Exhibition

When I watched the red carpet for this year’s Met Gala, where Lady Gaga had FOUR phenomenal costumes reveals, I realized I was smiling and happy the entire time. I love camp and I often times dress in a way that is truly Camp. When my friend Kat invited me to the The Met's members only preview last week for the Camp: Notes of Fashion exhibition I was thrilled but did not expect what came next. 

As I walked past the very beginning of the exhibit I noticed that very quickly they recognize and give credit to LGBTQIA+ culture and people for shaping and embracing Camp and displayed pictures and letters from the 1800s from queer people. While reading about this Judy Garland’s ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’ played over the speakers and I was literally overcome with emotion. I started to tear up and was caught completely by surprise that seeing the LGBTQIA+ community represented in a major museum at the premier exhibit so prominently and proudly at the front of the exhibit would hit me so hard. It is just another example of why representation matters! 

How wonderful for those who have come before us to be recognized for living in their truths! They also had a beautiful video about voguing and ball culture with amazing information on how it is also responsible for shaping Camp. As I walked into the main room that featured a two story, rainbow 360 display with the most amazingly Camp outfits I have ever seen so close in person, I just smiled and my heart was so happy. I have always loved bright, bold, colorful and quirky clothing and I was mesmerized by being in that room. I didn’t want to leave and I believe this is the costume institute exhibit that has impacted me the most. It spoke to me in so many ways and it reminded me of the powerful and soul cleansing effect art and fashion can have on someone. 

Check out the photos of some of my favorite pieces from the Camp: Notes on Fashion Exhibition below and let me know which ones you love n the comments below! 

Photo Credit: Jonathan Valdez of Orange Juice and Biscuits

Salvatore Farragamo sandals from 1938 designed for Judy Garland and a modern day representation of the rainbow design on a shoe shown by Gucci from their Resort 2017 collection

Photo Credit: Jonathan Valdez of Orange Juice and Biscuits

Photo Credit: Jonathan Valdez of Orange Juice and Biscuits

Gucci

Photo Credit: Jonathan Valdez of Orange Juice and Biscuits

Photo Credit: Jonathan Valdez of Orange Juice and Biscuits

Photo Credit: Jonathan Valdez of Orange Juice and Biscuits

Photo Credit: Jonathan Valdez of Orange Juice and Biscuits

Photo Credit: Jonathan Valdez of Orange Juice and Biscuits

A head dress from the iconic Carmen Miranda

Photo Credit: Jonathan Valdez of Orange Juice and Biscuits

Photo Credit: Jonathan Valdez of Orange Juice and Biscuits

Photo Credit: Jonathan Valdez of Orange Juice and Biscuits

Photo Credit: Jonathan Valdez of Orange Juice and Biscuits

(Right) The archive Mugler dress that Cardi B wore to the 2019 Grammy Awards

Photo Credit: Jonathan Valdez of Orange Juice and Biscuits

Vintage Jean Paul Gaultier

Photo Credit: Jonathan Valdez of Orange Juice and Biscuits

Photo Credit: Jonathan Valdez of Orange Juice and Biscuits

Bob Mackie

Photo Credit: Jonathan Valdez of Orange Juice and Biscuits

From the Liberace collection

Photo Credit: Jonathan Valdez of Orange Juice and Biscuits

Photo Credit: Jonathan Valdez of Orange Juice and Biscuits

Photo Credit: Kathleen Jenkins of Exclusive Kat

Jonathan Valdez of Orange Juice and Biscuits taking in the breath taking Camp: Notes on Fashion Exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City

Photo Credit: Kathleen Jenkins of Exclusive Kat

Jonathan Valdez or Orange Juice and Biscuits standing outside the Met's sign for the Camp: Notes on Fashion Exhibition 

Thank you to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Met's Costume Institute team and everyone responsible for this year’s exhibition. It was more than Camp, it was pure magic!

For more information on the exhibit as well as exhibit hours click here.