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Janelle Monáe Met Gala 2019 | Fashion Photos

By Talmage Garn

Posted on June 14, 2023

Janelle Monáe | Talmage Garn

Janelle Monáe Met Gala 2019: The Quintessence of High-Camp

The High-Camp DNA of Janelle Monáe Met Gala 2019

Janelle Monáe, the multi-talented musician, has always been a beacon of individuality and creativity. With several hit albums and a collaboration with Prince, she is a hugely successful artist. Her embodiment of the high-camp theme at the Met Gala 2019 was no exception. She confidently declared, “I am camp. It’s embedded in my DNA.” Her interpretation of the theme was a testament to her unique style and artistic vision. here is Janelle Monáe Met Gala 2019.

Curious about Janelle’s music? Check out our guide to her songs: Janelle Monáe Songs: Sonic Genius

remember when Janelle Monáe nailed the theme at the 2019 MET gala

“Camp: Notes on Fashion” pic.twitter.com/XRJOfYU51o

— Brady 🫀 (@tu1ipinacup) May 2, 2022

A Sartorial Masterpiece: The Christian Siriano Dress

Monáe graced the red carpet in a custom dress by Christian Siriano, a balloon-hipped creation featuring a motorized blinking eye over one breast. This ingenious piece of gadgetry, supplied by Smooth Technology, was a nod to Monáe’s professed love of science fiction. The collaboration with Siriano was also a tribute to one of Monáe’s favorite artists, Picasso, particularly his African Period in the early 1900s.

The Picasso Influence: A Fusion of Art and Fashion

The dress was a love letter to Picasso’s African Period when the painter drew inspiration from tribal masks to create his famously fragmented portraits. The influence was evident in the design of the dress, which was a stunning blend of art and fashion.

I started working on this yesterday and finished it just now,, I needed to do something other than lie in bed today skjskndjakd :,)

I wanted a vector print thing of Janelle Monae from the 2019 Met Gala but didn’t see any I liked so I made one pic.twitter.com/YsPrAGhUUo

— alfred da buttler (@Pheasphant) September 11, 2021

The Dual Palette: A Study in Contrast

Monáe’s look was a study in contrast. One side of her outfit was buttoned-up black and white, punctuated by a Dietrich-esque red lip. The other side featured a robotic eye, a cheeky twist on the female gaze, and a Barbie-pink flourish. This duality was a signature of Monáe’s style, toying with fashion’s gender tropes.

The Power of Sartorial Fluidity

Monáe’s sartorial choices have always reflected her fluid identity. Her look at the Met Gala was no different. The exhibition’s Jean Paul Gaultier couture look from Spring 1998, a classic shirt, tie, and trousers overlaid with a voluminous eighteenth-century-style dress, was reminiscent of Monáe’s style. This “sartorial hermaphroditism” is its own take on Cubism: two sides of the masculine/feminine coin on view at once.

by Talmage Garn

The Camp Factor: Flamboyant Femininity

Monáe’s look was not just about sartorial fluidity. It was also about pure camp. She embraced “flamboyant female-ness” (as Susan Sontag put it in her 1964 essay “Notes on Camp”) with a little preening from her trusted team. The result was a look that was both bold and playful, a perfect embodiment of the camp aesthetic.

Conclusion: Janelle Monáe Met Gala 2019

Janelle Monáe’s high-camp, high-tech look at the Met Gala 2019 was a testament to her unique style and artistic vision. Her interpretation of the theme was a stunning blend of art, fashion, and technology, perfecting the camp aesthetic. With her bold and playful look, Monáe proved once again that she is the queen of high camp.

Through her unique style and artistic vision, Monáe continues to push boundaries and redefine norms, making her a true icon in the world of fashion and beyond.