Saman Bakayoko (a.k.a. The Armor Girl of NYC) is your Camp Counselor
When you think of camp, what comes to mind? Maybe the masterfully constructed gowns at the larger-than-life 2019 Met Gala. Maybe Jean Paul Gaultier’s gaudy and colorful designs for The Fifth Element (1997). Whatever it may be, the word “camp" likely brings up images of over-the-top, inaccessible opulence. This is partially true. Saman Bakayoko, a Fashion Institute of Technology student and TikTok creator (@s.annia), is proof that camp is not reserved for the most fortunate members of society. She first went viral for the full suit of armor and chainmail she donned on the streets of New York City. Her other looks range from a 50’s housewife archetype turned up a billion notches, to a blue-skinned alien sporting a platinum mullet. Saman has garnered a lot of attention on the platform for these looks, and they’re more accessible than you’d think.
Saman was born and raised in New York City. Before her internet stardom, she studied at Binghamton University and had a more “traditional” wardrobe. After finding that Binghamton wasn’t her perfect match, she transferred to FIT. It was there that Saman said she began to “[find herself] through fashion.” Slowly but surely, her looks became camp-ier, and she started infiltrating the New York party scene and turning heads at Coachella. On her come up in the fashion world, Saman does not cite any one inspiration– other than herself and her own creative mind:
“I don’t really have any fashion inspirations; I think it’s just my brain. I’ve always been very creative. My brain just comes up with things and ideas, and then I write things down and execute it. No matter if I’m gonna execute it 10 years from now or the next day. I see things and pull inspiration from them. But I feel like, and I don’t even know if this sounds cocky, but I feel like I’m sort of a muse.”
For Saman, camp comes from within. Her world is one of authenticity and commitment that all other elements of camp stem from. No idea is a bad idea; it’s just a question of commitment and staying true to the vision. In this way, she offers us a reminder that your style and your presentation is up to you. Stylists and tailor-made camp couture is inaccessible for most, but authenticity costs nothing. Her and other camp creators who have recently gained popularity such as @MyraMagdalen and @SaraCampz, besides just being themselves, “leave room for commentary… [discussion,]” and inspiration, as Saman qualifies.
Saman hits many of the tenets of camp as chronicled in Susan Sontag’s sacred text, “Notes on Camp,” namely the entries concerning humor, irony, artifice, theatricality, impracticality and exaggeration. Take the aforementioned housewife look. Saman plays with 50’s era feminine stereotypes and rigid gender expectations. Her hyperbolic portrayal of gender presentation in this case is a vehicle for camp-iness.
For many, fear and apprehension are barriers to outgoing fashion in general. Saman’s solution is a familiar one:
“‘Just do it.’ Like Nike. That would be my advice. A lot of people think before they act; I act before I think. People think too much. They’re very calculated. Thinking too much leaves room for apprehension, and it leaves room for you to change your mind. When I think of something– I go. Don’t question it. Don’t get nervous. Just do it.”
Saman places heavy importance on the instinctual. It represents the heart of the camp impulse and is the key to authenticity. Putting on whatever appeals to you and being as over-the-top as possible is a simple question of tapping into your true desire, humor and creativity, and it’s a much needed respite from the curated beige perfection we’ve gotten used to. It doesn’t have to break the bank either, as Saman “mainly thrifts and [utilizes] sample sales” for much of her wardrobe.
Camp has a long history and more recently, as Saman notes, has “[become] more visible [with social media]” and inspired more people. We learn from Saman’s feeling-over-thinking philosophy that finding your authenticity and individuality are paramount to camp. She instructs us to act on our desires, not overthink or limit them. Her fashion philosophy is an exercise in reaching your creative potential. During the decline of silliness and camp in recent years due to a pivot toward hyperrealism, sensibility and hyper self-awareness, figures like Saman remind us that it was never that serious.
“We’re all avatars. Everyday is a new day, and you’re able to be whoever you want to be each and every day. I think we have the freedom to do that, but a lot of people aren’t aware.”