Frank Lewis

The collection “(S)he’s a (Fe)male (Wo)man” alludes to the sexed body throughout and is thematically inspired by camp, stage costume and the grotesque body. The drag costumes reference the constructed image of the ‘female’ body through disembodied features. In addition to the mouth and eyes,  iridescent fabrics coated in glossy plastics make allusion to bodily fluids. This displays the mouths as salivating and the eyes, weeping. These bodies covered in ‘tears’ and ‘saliva’ transgress levels of social acceptability. The collection replaces luxurious materials for polyester substitutes - an ode to camps favouring of the imitation over the real. Corsetry features largely in the collection, referencing the body technologies used to enhance the image of the ‘feminine’ body. My collection as a whole aims to elevate the subversive potential of drag in regards to the critique of gender constructs.