One of the biggest things I’d been looking forward to about Burning Man, was the radical self expression, combined with the unique and widely-accepted concept that “anything goes”. I knew there would be jaw-dropping art displays and installations, and I wanted to contribute to the community visually through my passion and love for costumes, makeup, and design.
I based my design concept on an amazing day I’d spent, just a few weeks earlier, at the wild and mystical markets in Marrakech. It was in those dusty back alleys of the souk, that I came across a merchant selling all kinds of intriguing spices, herbs, and remedies. I noticed he had some sort of pet lizard, and upon closer inspection I realized it was a Chameleon.
I was beyond fascinated with this desert creature. His eyes could spin independently in any desired direction, his nimble feet could casually adapt to any surface, but my wonder and imagination started churning as I watched this alien-like creature change the color of his skin as he adapted and reacted to the environment around him.
This was the foundation of my vision for my first Burning Man. I would become a Galactic Chameleon. A foreign creature coming from a dark, mechanical, colorless world to the Playa. A place where I knew nothing and would begin merely reacting and responding to my environment (deep I know but it helped me creatively and mentally prepare for the adventure).
The wigs I found, and the costumes I made revolved around this philosophy of transformation and adaptation. I wanted to go from a hard, black, machine-like warrior to a white & silver futuristic goddess. I started with all black and slowly transitioned color in. I based my transformations on the color of my wigs, and loved the added benefit of protecting my real hair from the nasty elements of Black Rock City. It was an experiment that challenged both my creative limits as well as my social boundaries and barriers. This concept of adaptation and evolution played a key role in what I took away from my first burn.
Just a disclaimer: As you can see from the images above this post is about my outfits and what I designed and wore to Burning Man. An experiential guide on what to pack, what to expect, and my experience as a whole is coming after this… Xx