POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

Notes

Designer Philippa Playford chose one of the traditional icons of lesbian drag, the tomboy cowgirl on which to base her costume 'Cowdyke'. She had always liked Country and Western music, its campy glitzy nature and the potential it held for lesbian drag. Reclaiming images and language that were once used to denigrate members of the gay and lesbian community has become an important part of design for mardi gras. In this costume Philippa prominantly displays the title 'COWDYKE' playing on a more politically correct form of what was generally considered a term of derision for butch lesbians, bulldyke. Here she makes it large, displays it proudly and subverts its negative connotations. Philippa won 'Best Costume Worn by a Woman' in the costume competition at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade. This was the first year the costume competition included a separate category for women. Philippa Playford made the costume in a week. She set herself a very strict timetable for making each part so that she could complete it on time.