This past weekend in Sag Harbor, Simon Doonan made a compelling case for camp.
Last Saturday night, the Shelter Island author, cultural commentator and former creative director for Barneys NY discussed the idea of camp v. campy at a special book release party for his latest work, “The Camp 100 – Glorious Flamboyance, From Louis XIV to Lil Nas X.”
Set in the garden space at Love Binetti in Sag Harbor, the event, dubbed “Camp-O-Rama” featured Doonan, along with his husband, designer and co-host Jonathan Adler, engaged in a special book signing and conversation as part of Fashion Group International‘s “Hamptons Summer Series.” A celebration of all things fabulous, flamboyant and fashion-forward, proceeds from the event, along with book sales, will benefit the FGI Foundation, whose mission is to provide education, grants, resources and mentorship for the fashion industry, particularly for emerging talent.
Dozens turned out for a special book signing and conversation at Sag Harbor’s Love Binetti with Shelter Island author Simon Doonan (Photos credit: John Roca)
In slang, the term “camp” generally describes something exaggerated, flamboyant and theatrical, usually with a somewhat serious tinge. “Campy,” on the other hand, infers that the subject is usually self-aware of the humor or irony their aesthetic and/or sensibility evokes, more often than not, garnering interesting and hilarious results.
Doonan’s book is a vivid exploration of the vivaciousness and wondrous excess of his hand-selected camp (or campy) contemporaries and well-known individuals from the past, including monarchs, movie stars and singers, as well as celebrated movies, art, singers, animals — even food.
With respect to the late Susan Sontag’s 1964 essay “Notes on Camp,” which initially brought the idea to mainstream consciousness, Doonan says camp has to have this element of seriousness that is sort of failing slightly, while campy means the subject is in on the joke.
Proceeds from Doonan’s book will benefit the FGI Foundation set with the mission to promote educational programs devoted to fashion and to the study of fashion related businesses through the creation and awarding of scholarships; establishment of internship programs; provision of career counseling services. (Cover photo courtesy of The Quarto Group; (right) photo by Emily Toy)
“[People] like Bette Midler, Elton John, all the people you love that tend to be campy, because they’re in on the joke, they know exactly what they’re doing,” he says. “But whereas camp, they don’t know they’re camp. Margaret Thatcher didn’t wake up every morning going ‘I’m going to be a camp icon today.'”
Currently, all the books at Love Binetti (17 Washington St. Sag Harbor) have sold out, but if you’d like to shop small and shop local (and please do!) pop by and put your name down or call them up at 631-899-4238 to secure a copy.
