32 VOGUEINDIAJUNE 2019 http://www.vogue.in
VIKRAMKUSHWAHeditor’s letter
FOLLOWMEONTWITTER
@PRIYATANNAANDINSTAGRAM
@PRIYA_TANNAOREMAILMEAT
[email protected]Lastmonth,unlessyouwerestrandedonanislandwithout
WiFi,it is unlikelythatyouwouldhavemissedfashion’s
biggestnight—theMetGala.Thisyear’stheme,‘Camp:
NotesonFashion’,meantattendeespulledoutallthestops
in keepingwith the spirit of exaggeration,artifice and
dramathattheevententailed.
Katy Perry was the chandelierthat lit up the red carpet,
and PriyankaChopracame dressedlike a Tim Burtonlead,
even as Billy Porter arrivedin a chaise carriedby six
bare-bodiedmen. Lady Gaga createda flutter with her
mulitpleoutfit changes,whileVogue’sveryownAnna
Wintourand HamishBowles(the latter in MaisonMargiela
Artisanalhead-to-toepurple)ensuredthe flamingo-pink
carpet never veered into the sedate.
It was 55 yearsagothatSusanSontagputthespotlight
on camp, and now, half a centurylater, its theatricalityandextravagancecame manifestedin full form. If
camp is the belief that “style is everything,”then
thisissueis ourhomagetothepeoplewholiveby
theadage.
Glamorous,unapologeticand unabashed,this
month’scover stars exemplifyfashion’sgreatest
excesses.As a quartet,they are the maximalists—
KareenaKapoorKhanlendseverydaystylea
couturequality,sparkinginterestwhether
steppingoutof a gym,ontheset,oronthered
carpet; Diljit Dosanjhpossessesa fashionvocabu-
lary that knows its Virgils from its Versaces;
Karan Johar can rock a D&G bathrobeat a
black-tieevent like few can; and Natasha
Poonawalla,whetherat the Sundayraces or the
World EconomicForum at Davos, exemplifiesthat
can’t-put-your-finger-on-itglamourthat never
fails to impress.As fashion’sbiggestchampions,
they are people who have made style an intrinsic
part of their DNA, and togetherthey make a
compellingcase for this maximal,no-holds-barred
approachto fashion.
Afterlastmonth’sodeto beige,withthisissue
weswingto theotherextremeof thefashion
spectrum,onewhereeverythinggoesandnothing
istoomuch.In‘25maximalistsyouneedtoknow’
webringyouthecreatorsandmuseswhopersonify
thisbold-fashionlove,whetherthroughprints,
paillettesorproportions,beit GiambattistaValli
andhisvoluminousgownsorfashion’snewest
crushTomoKoizumi,whowonusallwithhisbig
andboldsartorialfantasy.WealsohavethelikesofDavid
LaChapelleandRaqibShawgivingusaninsightintothe
spiritualitybehindtheirexcessiveartscapes.InLiving,
HamishBowleslooksbackatthehedonismoftheclubscene
of’80sLondon,andPeterandCeciled’Ascolitakeusinside
theirprint-overrunhome.Andfinally,towrapup,Iwantto
leaveyouwithalinestolenfromthequeenofmaximalism
IrisApfel,whoseperfectlywordedInsta-bioreads:“Moreis
moreandlessisabore.”Wecouldn’tagreemore.MAXTOMAX
Over-the-topis an
understatement
whenit comesto
theOGmaximalist
ManishAroraWEAREON