‘BURNING’ CASH
To stand out among all the sexy hippies at the Burning Man festival, New Yorkers are shelling out thousands of dollars for custom costumes
IF Coachella and Halloween had a wayward love child, it would be Burning Man. The desert pop-up “community,” which springs up annually in Black Rock City, Nev., is known as much for its outlandish costumes, which make Lady Gaga’s meat dress look like a school uniform, as it is for its free-spirited ethos and permissive drug culture.
The nine-day festival, which kicked off Sunday and is now in its 31st year, is famous for its counterculture philosophies: There’s no exchange of money on-site, and attendees shack up in tents and RVs and espouse a “no handshakes, only hugs” mantra. One of its core tenets is “decommodification” — in short, sticking it to the Man.
But in recent years, the party commune has become increasingly inundated by work-hard-play-hard professionals looking to temporarily free themselves from societal constraints — and they’ll pay big bucks for an outrageous outfit to match the anything-goes vibe.
“I’m one of those people who’d rather spend money on experiences than material things,” Natalia, a Tribeca-based real estate agent who declined to give her last name for professional reasons, tells The Post. “I’m fortunate enough to be able to do it.”
The 33-year-old is shelling out $10,000 on outfits for her first-ever trip to Burning Man this week, including a fishnet bodysuit, strappy platform boots, a fur coat (after all, temperatures drop in the desert after dark)
and a showgirl-style headpiece.
“I wouldn’t wear this at work, that’s for sure,” the size-0 blonde says, noting it’s a style-departure from her usual “polished” worker-bee dresses and pumps. “You can’t get this stuff at Saks.”
The desire to stand out among the thousands of folks camped out in the desert (known as the “playa”), as well as increasingly famous attendees such as Paris Hilton and Katy Perry hitting social media in designer duds, has led “Burners” such as Natalia to seek styling help from the pros.
“The difference between good and great costumes is 10 percent,” says Allen Hassan, a 48-year-old investment banker and five-time Burner. “And that’s where Nancy Marcus comes into play.”
Marcus is the fashion stylist behind both Hassan and Natalia’s looks, and she’s made a name for herself outfitting eccentric wealthy Burners for the past three years. A longtime Burner herself, the stylist got her start by helping out fellow attendees before realizing she could make a business out of it. Her rates range anywhere from $1,000 for a couple of pieces to $10,000 for an entire custom wardrobe that can include up to 20 articles.
“A lot of my clients wear a suit all day,” says Marcus, a Tribeca resident who cut her teeth developing products for major fashion labels. “If they’re coming to me, they’re looking to bring out their wild sides. It’s so satisfying to see them happy and liberated.” Hassan, a divorced father of two, says that spending $10,000 to look as “if Lawrence of Arabia walked into a Goth store” is worth it.
“I feel like I’m in my element,” says the 6-foot-2 Hassan of the flowy calf-length white tunic and fabric chain-mail vest he’s wearing this year. “It feels very natural and comfortable — this is my alter ego’s version of wearing a suit,” he says, explaining that his playa counterpart goes by “HassanMeister.”
“He’s a motherf - - ker to my credit card — and I have to pay for it,” he adds. Other pieces he purchased include a full-length white fur coat, leather holster and epaulets, as well as glow-in-the-dark sneakers.
But whether you’re in
“Burning Man is all about radical selfexpression. It’s your chance to be exactly who you want to be.” — Stylist Nancy Marcus
heels or high-tops, the festival isn’t Fashion Week: Attendees face unpredictable and inclement weather and blustery winds that stir up sand — all without access to running water or bathrooms. Still, Marcus encourages her clients to commit to their looks.
For the uninitiated, she has a rundown of questions to help them zero in on their playa style: “Do you see yourself in a leather harness holster for 10 hours?” she’ll ask a new client.
The sex- and drug-fueled festival can help shed attendees’ inhibitions.
“Burning Man is all about radical self-expression,” says Marcus. “It’s your chance to be exactly who you want to be.”
Business has been so good that the longtime stylist now estimates that 70 percent of her clients are for Burning Man, engaging in year-round events revolving around the festival.
Consultations can start nearly a year in advance, when the costumer creates mood boards depicting themes such as “Gypsy” and “Mad Max” (Natalia’s chosen motif ) for her potential clients, many of whom ship out 100-pound trunks filled with some 20-odd pieces that Marcus will organize with stickers so they don’t have to figure out how to pair anything themselves.
“I’m always doing research,” she says, sourcing pieces throughout the year from vintage stores and markets in places such as Morocco, Japan, Hong Kong, and Mykonos, Greece. She also customizes finds, adding embellishments such as lace collars and leather cuffs.
For some of the more daring accessories, such as thigh-high platform boots and elaborate headgear, she suggests clients “practice” wearing the costumes around their apartments for a few hours so they won’t get cold feet before the main event.
Natalia is most looking forward to “being a free spirit in the desert, without a connection to the real world,” but admits that going off the grid isn’t cheap: The entire experience, which includes her $10,000 luxury RV rental, is setting her back about $25,000.
And while everyone feels like their new metal bodysuits and drop-crotch pants are a second skin, Natalia is prepared to enjoy her last moments in leisurewear before she hits the playa.
“I’ll be wearing sweatpants on the plane.”