Stay ConnectedA smart, playful and interrogative take on contemporary fashion and its context – weaving together sartorial and social history to tell powerful, surprising stories of identity.
Hosted by Lucy Clayton together with a selection of special guests including designers, artists, writers, activists, academics and of course, the dresser uppers themselves, this show explores the way we dress in all its creative, sequinned and chaotic glory.
Copyright: © 2019 Lucy Clayton
Described, in all seriousness, as the 'Ball of the Century', the Beistegui Ball of 1951 was a fancy dress event like no other: the guest list, the costumes, the late-running pre-party rehearsal – everything was taken to an extreme. But at what cost? As guests partied, they also pondered: 'memorable' the event certainly was; 'merry', perhaps not. Join Lucy and Ben as they discuss the enigmatic host and why his legendary entertainment may not, in fact, have been the party of all parties.
Notes
Aside from Halloween, the only other date that gets Lucy and Ben excited is the first Monday in May, when the Metropolitan Museum, New York, hosts its gala ball to raise funds for its Costume Institute. Although not strictly a fancy dress event, the couture worn to this shimmering festivity is often fantastical, always exceptional. This year, with the theme derived from the Costume Institute exhibition, Camp: Notes on Fashion, the potential for some truly extraordinary garments is high! Join Lucy and Ben as they kick-start Season Four and tell you all you need to know about this extraordinary sartorial event.
Notes
In this special 'on location' episode, Lucy and Ben visit the archives of the Chelsea Arts Club to explore the creativity, chaos and controversy that was Chelsea Arts Club annual fancy dress ball. Illustrated invitations, letters of outrage and contemporary newspaper reports, with stories of smoke bombs, arresting costumes and the London social scene, make this the perfect party to bring Season Three to a close.
Links
Chelsea Arts Club: www.chelseaartsclub.com
Chelsea Arts Club Trust: www.chelseaartsclubtrust.org
National AIDS Trust: www.nat.org.uk
The adage, 'They don't make them like they used to', is especially apt for the object at the centre of this week's episode: a fancy dress catalogue from London costume supplier Weldon's. Join Lucy and Ben as they leaf through the illustrated pages of costume dramas from the 1920s and 1930s and discover insights – sometimes shocking – that demonstrate the cultural prevalence and enduring popularity of dressing up.
Links:
Love it or loath it, World Book Day has become an important date in family calendars as toddlers, teenagers and just about any other young person under an adult's influence, is dressed up and decorated to resemble a character from literary fiction. The costume fun and frustration of World Book Day provides for some hilarious – and likely scarring – moments, but as Lucy and Ben discover, the purpose of this annual day of dress-up is very serious, and necessary, indeed.
Links:
Charities
· https://www.worldbookday.com
· https://secure.booktrust.org.uk/donation/
Media
· '1 in 8 disadvantaged children in the UK don't own a single book': https://literacytrust.org.uk/news/1-8-disadvantaged-children-uk-dont-own-single-book/
· Support the Literacy Trust: https://literacytrust.org.uk/support-us/fundraising/
· According to the Liverpool Echo, parents will be scouring shelves for costumes this year…https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/shopping/aldi-selling-world-book-day-15811906
· A round-up from Metro of some of last year's WBD highlights: https://metro.co.uk/2018/03/01/world-book-day-2018-the-best-costumes-from-children-and-adults-7351484/
· Podcast: 'How to Fail with Elizabeth Day: Sharmaine Lovegrove', Series 3, Episode 7.
· Instagram: @father_of_daughters
Gucci's SS19 campaign is an unashamedly glitzy and joyous celebration of 1950s Americana, as relayed through Hollywood and Kodachrome photography. It also looks, and feels, a lot like fancy dress costume. In this mini episode, Lucy and Ben reflect on the inspiration – and impact – of a campaign that has been both lauded and lambasted.
Links:
In the second of two special episodes recorded live at the Royal Academy's Klimt-Schiele Cabaret Night in January, follow Lucy and Ben as they talk with costumed revellers, lead the Academy's first costume parade, and award some incredibly coveted rosettes for the evening's most inspiring fancy dress.
Links
Our venue:
@royalacademyarts
Our photographers:
@emmiefin
@gregclaytonphotography
@maxmiechowski
Join hosts Lucy Clayton & Dr Benjamin Wild live at the Royal Academy, as part of the RALates series for a discussion about Klimt, Schiele & the Viennese Secession - in this special, mini episode we explore the crossover between fashion, costume and the art of the period.
Links
In this Season's finale, Lucy and Ben talk with Levi Higgs about the jewellery worn at three of the twentieth-century's most lavish and exclusive costume balls. Following Dress: Fancy's patron saint, Cecil Beaton, who attended each of these events, this episode examines the significance of haute joaillerie and costume jewellery worn by the likes of Daisy Fellowes, Gloria Guiness and the inimitable Elizabeth Taylor.
Links
Fancy dress may be inherently unfashionable but it has found a home in the seasonal wardrobe of many people the world over – the British in particular – in the form of the Christmas sweater. On 14 December, Save the Children encourage mass festive sweater wearing to raise awareness and funds for their charitable work. If you're going to take part, listen in: Funny and fearsome, the Christmas sweater is a curious example of fancy dress becoming mainstream (albeit briefly) and in this short 'bonus' episode, Lucy and Ben consider its origins, implications and, mercifully, guide you through 'dos' and absolute 'do nots' of this modern festive tradition.
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