“Camp: Notes on Fashion” Exhibition Recap

After being dazzled by this year’s annual Met Gala red carpet, we just had to take a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see the “Camp: Notes on Fashion” exhibition, which opened on May 9. The whimsical display at the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Exhibition Hall takes you through a pink hallway and ushers you into the historical visual timeline of the word “camp.” The origin of camp includes the exclusive red soled heels of the aristocratic French court to garments inspired by campy author Oscar Wilde.

The exhibition follows the changing of the word camp from verb to noun, with use of historical documents and clothing. The largest part of the exhibit is made up of stacked light box showcases from floor to ceiling. “Somewhere over the rainbow” sung by Judy Garland cheekily plays over the speakers as you walk into the main camp hall. The brightly colored neon light boxes have nestled inside some of the most outrageous modern takes on camp, from Heatherette's Hello Kitty covered dress to Moschino’s tv dinner jacket from their Spring 2019 collection. A flamingo hat, a Paramount Pictures themed dress, and a twin dress reminiscent of the bloody twins from The Shining are just the tip of the whimsical pop culture iceberg you will find in this exhibition. This room is proof enough that camp is theatrically limitless, and has been always been a part of fashion.

Overall, the exhibit was delightful, but it felt short and left you craving enough more camp garments! Most modern garments used were from collections as recent as Spring 2019, and there were a plethora of more clothing that could have been used in addition to this showcase in the modern section. You too can make a trip to the gorgeous Met and get your camp on through September 8th!

So the next time you’re in our Upper East Side New York City neighborhood, take a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to get inspired and then stop by Michael's for some campy luxury designer consignment of your own!

You can also check out our campy collab with Emily Polner of No Repeats or Hesitations here.