{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1778168"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1778168/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2024NW9899/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2024NW9899/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2024NW9899","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2024NW9900","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2024NW9903","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2024NW9906","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2024NW9911","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2024NW9912","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1778168/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1778168","accessionNumber":"S.893:1 to 3-2024","objectType":"Costume","titles":[{"title":"Costume worn by Paul O'Grady as Lily Savage","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Paul O'Grady MBE (1955 - 2023) was one of the UK’s most significant drag performers. O’Grady cut his teeth in working men’s clubs and drag bars throughout London and the North of England whilst juggling his job as a carer, later achieving wider acclaim through his residency as Lily Savage at the historic Royal Vauxhall Tavern from 1984–1992.\r\n\r\nA staunch advocate for LGBT+ rights, O’Grady used his act as a platform to campaign and provoke. In January 1987, the police raided the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, as they regularly did, along with other queer venues. On this occasion the police wore wearing rubber gloves to ‘protect’ them from what they perceived as a potential HIV risk. O’Grady recalls appearing on stage and remarking “Oh good, have you come to do the washing up?”. BBC News Online (30 March 2023) described the incident thus: “What might have seemed like a throwaway line has gone down in history as an example of deadpan defiance in the face of suspicion and often hostility towards gay people.”\r\n\r\nSavage’s acid tongue and quick-wittedness was an important aspect of O’Grady’s character, influenced by his own cultural upbringing and providing a platform for working-class Northern voices. Savage rejected the glamour of other drag queens, preferring miniskirts, animal print and garish colours along with her trademark white bouffant wig. \r\n\r\nSavage performed all over the UK, including seasons at Blackpool and the Edinburgh Fringe, winning the Perrier Award in 1991. Four of Savage’s shows were filmed and later released on VHS: <i>Paying the Rent</i> (1993), <i>Live and Outrageous</i> (1995), <i>An Evening with Lily Savage</i> (1996) and <i>The Live Show</i> (1998). Savage wore this costume while performing <i>Lily Savage: Live and Outrageous</i> at the Garrick Theatre, London, and also during the <i>Stonewall - 1995 Equality Show</i> at the Royal Albert Hall, London, which featured performances by entertainment icons, including Savage, Eddie Izzard, Julian Clary, Jocelyn Brown, Elton John and Kylie Minogue, and raised £100,000 for the charity Stonewall UK.","physicalDescription":"Costume worn by Paul O'Grady as Lily Savage. \n\n<b>S.893:1-2024</b>\nBlazer in yellow and black polka-dot fabric with black velvet lapels, cuffs and a flared hem, with three black buttons and yellow satin lining. The hem of the blazer is supported by a thin wire. \n\n<b>S.893:2-2024</b>\nMini skirt in yellow and black polka-dot fabric with black velvet hem, yellow satin lining and zip closure.\n\n<b>S.893:3-2024</b>\nPlatinum blonde wig.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Martin Taylor","id":"AUTH411207"},"association":{"text":"makers","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"cotton","id":"AAT14067"},{"text":"velvet","id":"AAT133711"},{"text":"satin","id":"AAT132902"},{"text":"metal","id":"AAT10900"},{"text":"plastic","id":"AAT14570"},{"text":"hair","id":"x34808"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Cotton, velvet, satin, metal and plastic, with wig of synthetic hair","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"LGBTQ","id":"THES266921"},{"text":"Costumes","id":"THES269529"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2024NW9899","2024NW9900","2024NW9903","2024NW9906","2024NW9911","2024NW9912"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"106","id":"THES49925"},"free":"","case":"CA010","shelf":"FIG","box":""},{"current":{"text":"106","id":"THES49925"},"free":"","case":"CA010","shelf":"FIG","box":""},{"current":{"text":"106","id":"THES49925"},"free":"","case":"CA010","shelf":"FIG","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"costumes","id":"x31908"}],[{"text":"costumes","id":"x31908"}],[{"text":"costumes","id":"x31908"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1995","earliest":"1995-01-01","latest":"1995-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Paul O'Grady and Andre Portasio","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"85","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"24/07/2024","earliest":"2024-07-24","latest":"2024-07-24"},"part":"blazer","note":"approximate longest point (flat)"},{"dimension":"Width","value":"51.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"24/07/2024","earliest":"2024-07-24","latest":"2024-07-24"},"part":"blazer","note":"approximate widest point (flat)"},{"dimension":"Length","value":"41.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"24/07/2024","earliest":"2024-07-24","latest":"2024-07-24"},"part":"skirt","note":"approximate longest point (flat)"},{"dimension":"Width","value":"45","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"24/07/2024","earliest":"2024-07-24","latest":"2024-07-24"},"part":"skirt","note":"approximate widest point (flat)"}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"This costume was worn by Paul O'Grady as Lily Savage on a number of occasions, including <i>Lily Savage: Live and Outrageous</i> at the Garrick Theatre, London, 1995, and the <i>Stonewall - 1995 Equality Show</i> at the Royal Albert Hall, London, 22 October 1995. Savage also wore this costume in marketing material for the live recording of <i>Lily Savage: Live and Outrageous.</i>","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Costume consisting of yellow and black fitted jacket and skirt, worn by Paul O’Grady as Lily Savage.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"Commissioned, made or bought by Paul O'Grady for Lily Savage.","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"Paul O'Grady","id":"AUTH377014"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Label for the display <i>Enthoven Unboxed: 100 Years of Collecting Performance</i>:\r\nLily Savage was the drag alter ego of Paul O'Grady. A working-class Liverpudlian from Birkenhead, Savage was known for her acid tongue. She campaigned for LGBTQ+ equality during the AIDS epidemic, using her sharp wit to entertain audiences and provoke authority when gay clubs were frequently raided by the police.\r\n","date":{"text":"2024","earliest":"2024-01-01","latest":"2024-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["S.893:2-2024","S.893:1-2024","S.893:3-2024"],"accessionNumberNum":"893","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2024,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-04-02","recordCreationDate":"2024-04-15","availableToBook":false}}