I can’t stop admiring Daisy May Cooper’s dress from Sunday’s BAFTA TV Awards, made of garbage bags and literal garbage. Everything about it, from the trail of detritus at her feet, to the makeshift pigeon’s nest that rests atop her head, makes me feel happy. That pigeon—metaphorically speaking, of course, because thankfully it is not real—has made a home for itself amongst the rubble of life, and who can honestly say they aren’t working towards exactly the same thing themselves?
Cooper, the co-creator (along with her brother, Charlie Cooper) of the BBC mockumentary This Country, was easily one of the coolest people at the BAFTAs Sunday night, mostly because you can tell she did not give a fuck. Cooper outdid everyone with their designer looks by becoming a very chic, even comfortable-looking heap of garbage. Cooper’s mother made the dress, according to the BBC, and the money she would have spent on a real dress went to a local food bank.
Let’s take a look at her creation:
This small puddle of trash that follows, just one step behind, her every move is both a humbling and a horrifying reminder of the nature of human existence, and I for one welcome it. We are what we eat, and by extension, we’re also probably the garbage we throw out in the process of sustaining ourselves. My version of this dress would include an empty two-liter bottle of Topo Chico and a plastic bag full of green tea Kit-Kat wrappers.
Besides the symbolism, I have to admire the detailing here: I’m a sucker for an off-the-shoulder look, and the ruffled hem, plus that big ol’ bracelet on Cooper’s wrist, really gives the ensemble a sense of cohesion. I mean, she really could have just worn a bunch of trash bags taped together, torn holes in it for her arms and head, and called it a day. Instead she created a look fit for the red carpet, complete with a tiny trash can as a purse. Do I want one now? With a longer strap, like a shoulder bag? For the summer looks I’m already planning? I would be a liar if I said no.
Kudos to Cooper, who raised and then met the bar in terms of styling. Next year, maybe she or another brave soul will show up as a dumpster.