CK took over an area of the LGBTQI+ festival, bringing the Dazed x Calvin Klein Queer Lens film festival to the city's Westerpark
CALVIN KLEIN
A little (a lot) of rain didn’t stop the Dutch from coming out to Amsterdam’s Westerpark for the 10th annual Milkshake Festival. Plastic ponchos at the ready, the crowd were here to party. Over the weekend, Calvin Klein took over a lounge area tucked between the Pon Di Pride and Bear-Necessity stages, offering a pit-stop between the drag acts and dance music. Here, festivalgoers could dry off, snap their outfits in the This is Love photobooth and watch films from Dazed and Calvin Klein’s Queer Lens cinema partnership. If you didn’t manage to make it over to Amsterdam yourself, here’s what went down.
THE CALVIN KLEIN LOUNGE WAS AN OASIS OF CALM
While the traditional festival attire of wellies and Doc Martens were replaced with go-go boots and stripper heels, revellers had the option to pull up a bean bag in the Calvin Klein lounge and rest their sore feet. Bar staff were pouring Heineken on tap, dressed in the new ‘This Is Love’ collection of apparel featuring colours inspired by the Progress Pride flag. The Calvin Klein campaign video played on the big screen and large-scale images were displayed across the face of the lounge. Oh, and who doesn’t love a photobooth.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE FILM
With headsets handy, people could sit back and watch a series of four original short films from five queer filmmakers. Queer Lens is directed by young visionaries Justice Jamal Jones, Heather Glazzard and Nora Nord, Monica Lek, and Adam Munnings aka Adam Love. Featuring a cast including actress Sasha Lane and Sergio Lane, team members from LGBTQ+ youth organisation The Trevor Project, musician Snail Mail and her people, legendary ballroom house House of Xtravaganza, among others, styled in ‘This is Love’ apparel, the campaign celebrates chosen families within the LGBTQ+ community.
THERE WAS MUSIC FOR EVERYONE
From the lounge, sets could be heard from the Bear-Necessity stage opposite with electronic music offerings from Sergio Cardosa, Saeed Ali, and Mike Jayy. Next door was the Pon Di Pride stage with a mix of urban and dancehall featuring DJs Femmetastic, Biggy C, and Shug La Sheeda. Over on the Supertoys stage welcomed the likes of Jessie Ware, The Blessed Madonna, Horse Meat Disco, Absolute, Amanda Lepore, and Kiddy Smile. With nine other stages showcasing house, disco, pop, techno, and R&B there was truly something for everyone.
NOTHING SHOULD BE A MUST, EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE
From rainbow crowned, gold-tasselled hosts to welcome you into the festival, to DJs dressed in extravagant balloon headdresses, the festival slogan “nothing should be a must, anything is possible” was taken and run with. Spotted were matching camo tutus, co-ords and crop tops, and many bare buttocks. Across the pink and purple tents were stages hosted by Pxssy Palace, a UK arts platform rooted in intentional nightlife, Club Church, a Amsterdam-based gay cruise club, and Pornceptual, a Berlin-based collective that presents pornography as queer, diverse and inclusive, among others.
IT WAS A FULLY VEGETARIAN AFFAIR
Arguably the best part of any festival is the food trucks. And Milkshake wasn’t one to disappoint with a 100 per cent vegetarian offering from Amsterdam favourites such as Wild Rose Taqueira, Vietnamama, and It’s A Wrap. As well as the burgers, pizzas and hotdogs were smoothie and sweet stands for those craving a little sugar. And for all those who love drinks, Gordon’s Pink Gin and Chandon Garden Spritz were on tap to help wash it all down.