Emma Davis describes how clothing plays an important role in the LGBTQ+ community, providing enjoyment and indulgence.
Whether we're conscious of it or not, fashion plays an important part in our daily lives. This includes mundane clothing such as our school uniform as well as our more exciting, more glamorous outfits such as those we would wear on a night out. Our fashion choices allow us to express ourselves. But more importantly, fashion has allowed us to be more honest with ourselves. This rings especially true for the queer community.
Historically, LGBTQIA+ people have struggled to embrace their identities due to societal pressures and expectations. This level of discrimination led queer people to create their own culture which included the likes of drag shows. When it comes to fashion, drag shows in particular have allowed queer folk to express themselves; the extravagant and glamorous clothes are an integral part of a drag performer’s act. Drag's use of androgynous fashion has deeply inspired queer people to be more adventurous in comparison to their straight cisgender counterparts.
Drag's use of androgynous fashion has deeply inspired queer people to be more adventurous in comparison to their straight cisgender counterparts.
An example of this is the late great David Bowie. In the 70s with the emergence of glam rock, Bowie integrated his bold sense of fashion into his performances on stage. For the UK cover of his album The Man Who Sold The Earth, Bowie famously wore a dress, which sparked controversy and revived concerns of propriety. Bowie would later go on to inspire other artists to incorporate an androgynous self-presentation, such as Boy George, Annie Lennox and Lady Gaga.
The latter was even one of the co-chairs of the 2019 Met Gala exhibition Camp: Notes on Fashion and stunned with a 16-minute entrance that demanded she shed several layers of costume made Brandon Maxwell couture. Although that event was met with overwhelming response, the Met Gala has garnered some controversy over the course of its history. Accusations range from the event being highly exclusive and not being environmentally-friendly, and some themes have also raised eyebrows. One such theme was its 2018 exhibition Heavenly Bodies, which included Roman Catholic elements. Given the Church's controversial views on queerness, many members of the queer community felt disappointed by choice of them, especially given how the Met Gala is notorious for its camp fashion. However, seeing ‘Master Of None’ actress Lena Waithe draped in a rainbow flag has to be highlighted as a standout during the event.
From the Met Gala to Vogue, many fashion designers dream of having their creations displayed at these events. Considering how camp luxury fashion is, it's not surprising to find out that most of the high-end fashion designers are members of the LGBTQ+ community - Gianni Versace, Tom Ford and Alessandro Michele, to name a few. Versace brought sensuality and sexuality into fashion with his collection of silver mesh togas. Meanwhile Tom Ford helped to revive the famous Gucci brand in the 1980s and made men’s fashion more sexual. Although Alessandro Michele has not been around for as long as Versace or Tom Ford, he nonetheless made memorable contributions to fashion, such as making menswear more androgynous thanks to his muse, One Direction alum Harry Styles.
Considering how camp luxury fashion is, it's not surprising to find out that most of the high-end fashion designers are members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Clearly camp fashion has always been a part of queer culture. Without it, drag performances simply would just not be the same. Similarly, David Bowie would be remembered as a visionary artist without his campy sense of fashion. And thanks to queer fashion designers bringing camp fashion into the mainstream, more young queer people are going to be able to express themselves more freely than ever before.