The Role of Sustainability in The Underground Ballroom Scene

At risk of sounding like Miranda Priestly from The Devil Wears Prada, are you aware that today's most innovative sustainable fashions are directly influenced by The Ballroom Scene? Assuming your answer to my rhetorical question was no, let me divulge into what the ‘Ballroom Scene’ is, and how it was pivotal for fashion sustainability.

In the mid-nineteenth century, drag balls were hosted by African-American and Latino LGBTQIA+ individuals seeking to find a safe space for expression. From this, Ballroom progressed into a ‘house’ system where members would form multi-talented groups under a ‘house mother’, who was essentially a surrogate parent to those in their ‘houses’. As a team, they competed in categories like High Fashion, where they had to demonstrate abstract design concepts using limited or unconventional resources to minimize waste. This served as a way to challenge heteronormative fashion and the limitations provided by gender roles. Not to mention, as a subculture, it was instrumental in providing a platform for marginalized individuals that were being targeted. 

Now that I’ve provided that brief explanation for you, let me explain how present-day sustainable fashion has been heavily influenced by the Ballroom Scene; more specifically, the queer individuals who partook in it.

 In these balls, like I said before, houses were pushed to display a unique sense of fashion despite what little money or materials they had accessible to them. This concept was the catalyst for daring to be bold without knowing what would land. These practices resulted in taking risks with silhouette, vibrant colours, new textures, loud prints, and utilizing unconventional materials to do so. 

DIY-ing was embedded into Ballroom's DNA from the beginning, specifically in promoting practices of turning “trash” into “treasure”. This resulted in the ideal of valuing craftsmanship over materialism i.e., learning how to create new things out of everyday materials versus buying new pieces. Ultimately, they rejected consumerism and proved that anyone can create something showstopping, no matter what resources they have.

Additionally, at the forefront of the Ballroom Scene, there is an appreciation for preserving and sharing fashion materials. Maintaining garments that have been previously re-worked or worn and passed down is a common practice amongst houses. This not only reduces waste, but it is also considered a form of respect for those who came before them. Houses pooling resources together also speaks to the communal approach of limiting textile waste; creating a system of fashion exchange which is mutually beneficial and environmentally friendly. 

So, in terms of fashion sustainability, the Ballroom should be taking centre stage and receive major credit for the ways in which it has paved the way for our current methods of slow fashion and circular fashion, that continue to combat environmentally damaging fashion practices.