The Met Gala 2019: A Celebration of Camp, Exaggeration, and Over-the-Top Glamour

The Met Gala, an annual fundraising gala for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City, has always been a spectacle of fashion and celebrity. But in 2019, it reached new heights (or perhaps depths) of extravagance with its theme: “Camp: Notes on Fashion.” This exhibition, inspired by Susan Sontag’s seminal 1964 essay “Notes on ‘Camp,’” explored the aesthetic sensibility of camp – a playful embrace of artificiality, exaggeration, and irony.

While the concept of camp may seem straightforward, defining it precisely is like trying to nail jelly to a wall. As Sontag herself noted, “The essence of Camp is its love of the unnatural: of artifice and exaggeration.” Camp revels in theatricality, pushing boundaries and challenging conventional notions of taste. It’s about finding humor in the unexpected, delighting in the outrageous, and celebrating all things over-the-top.

And over-the-top the 2019 Met Gala certainly was. From Jared Leto arriving dressed as a giant Gucci chandelier to Katy Perry transforming into a glittering, six-foot-tall hamburger (complete with sesame seeds), the event was a parade of audacious sartorial statements.

The repercussions of this theme choice were far-reaching. The exhibition itself sparked a cultural conversation about the nature of camp, prompting think pieces and online debates about its relevance in contemporary society. Fashion designers were inspired to incorporate elements of camp into their collections, leading to a surge in statement pieces with exaggerated silhouettes, bold colors, and unexpected embellishments.

Understanding Camp: A Deeper Dive into Sontag’s Essay

To truly grasp the impact of the 2019 Met Gala theme, it’s crucial to delve into the philosophical underpinnings of “Camp.” Sontag’s essay dissected this elusive aesthetic phenomenon with wit and precision, arguing that camp is not simply about being tacky or outrageous.

It’s a complex sensibility characterized by several key elements:

• Irony: Camp often involves a deliberate subversion of expectations, employing humor and irony to expose the artificiality of social norms and hierarchies.

• Excess: Exaggeration and flamboyance are hallmarks of camp, with designers and individuals embracing opulent fabrics, extravagant embellishments, and theatrical silhouettes.

• Playfulness: Camp embraces a sense of lightheartedness and irreverence, refusing to take itself too seriously and encouraging playful experimentation with style.

• Aesthetics over Substance: Camp often prioritizes visual impact over practicality or functionality, valuing beauty and spectacle above all else.

The 2019 Met Gala: A Legacy of Theatricality

The echoes of the “Camp” Met Gala reverberated throughout the fashion world long after the event itself had concluded. Designers embraced Sontag’s ideas, incorporating camp elements into their collections and runway shows. This led to a renewed appreciation for theatricality, with bold colors, playful textures, and unexpected details becoming increasingly prevalent in haute couture and ready-to-wear fashion.

The event also sparked a wider cultural conversation about the role of irony and self-awareness in contemporary society. Camp became a lens through which to examine our relationship with consumption, identity, and aesthetics, encouraging us to question established norms and embrace playful subversion.

Ultimately, the 2019 Met Gala “Camp” exhibition served as a reminder that fashion is not merely about dressing our bodies; it’s a powerful form of self-expression and cultural commentary. By embracing the theatrical, the ironic, and the delightfully absurd, the event challenged us to reconsider the boundaries of taste and celebrate the endless possibilities of sartorial creativity.

The Met Gala 2019: A Glimpse into Some Notable Looks

The 2019 Met Gala remains a landmark event in fashion history, a testament to the enduring power of camp as an aesthetic and cultural force. It was a celebration of self-expression, creativity, and the ability of fashion to push boundaries and challenge expectations – a reminder that sometimes, the best way to make a statement is to simply embrace the absurd.