Bending the Rules: Fashion Beyond the Binary with Camille Benda and Gwyn Conaway

In this episode of The Costume House with Spencer Williams, we step beyond the screen and into the pages of Bending the Rules: Fashion Beyond the Binary with celebrated costume designer Camille Benda and illustrator, fashion historian, and culture specialist Gwyn Conaway.

Together, Spencer, Camille, and Gwyn explore the fascinating relationship between fashion, identity, and self-expression across cultures and throughout history. Drawing from the book's rich collection of essays, interviews, and visual storytelling, the conversation examines how clothing has long challenged conventions, reflected cultural change, and expanded our understanding of gender through dress.

Along the way, they discuss unforgettable examples from film and costume design, including Sally Potter's Orlando and the Academy Award-winning costumes of Sandy Powell, the futuristic world of The Fifth Element, and the enduring style of Grease through the work of legendary costume designer Albert Wolsky. Thoughtful, insightful, and endlessly fascinating, this conversation celebrates fashion as one of our most powerful forms of storytelling.