In the words of the late Tempest Storm, the iconic burlesque artiste, the key to the risqué art form is to “Always leave something to the imagination.” For London-based Sukki Menon (stage name: Sukki Singapora), who has been working tirelessly to dispel the misconceptions surrounding burlesque, the meaning of this quote is the essence of her message. “It’s all about the art of the tease, and not about nudity. And so the clothes and costumes become very important,” says Sukki, India’s first burlesque artiste.
Sukki’s own initiation into the colour-ful world of the vaudevillian art form came through her love for vintage fashion. “Growing up, I was always artistic and I wanted to follow my heart, but I decided to get a stable job. I was in IT, working a very regular job, when one day I heard about this performance art and Googled it. I realised it was everything I wanted to do. So I went to audition for a gig, having taught myself by watching videos on YouTube, and I got chosen,” she recalls. Soon, she was booking multiple gigs per week, and a year later, she quit her 9-to-5 job to follow her dream.
One wouldn’t think it when one sees her, but Sukki reveals that she wouldn’t call herself the epitome of ‘cool’. However, this is not something she is ashamed of. “I’m very uncool and the nerdiest person I know,” says Sukki, adding, “But I own it.” For someone who grew up feeling like a misfit, because, in her own words, she was “too brown to be British and too white to be Indian,” her confidence in being herself speaks volumes of how much she has achieved and how far she has come. “That’s what I love about burlesque. It’s about women celebrating their bodies and being in control of their sexuality,” shares the 32-year old, who was born to an Indian-Singaporean father and English mother.
Sartorially speaking
As the performance hinges on the clothes, a great deal of attention goes into how they are made. Typically comprising multiple layers of clothing ranging from a robe, to a dress with detachable components to the bare minimum, the costumes are more than just arbitrarily chosen corsets, gloves, feathers and lace. The artistes carefully curates and creates their own look, which sort of defines their on-stage persona and sets the tone for the performance. According to Sukki, sometimes it could take months to construct the costumes for a single act.
“It’s an art that requires the artistes to be multifaceted. We do our own hair and make-up, stitch our own clothes and choreograph the routines ourselves. That’s why it is an art in the true sense of the word,” explains the artiste.
Sukki’s own on-stage style is classic and elegant, with a hint of her Indian heritage. She deftly pairs traditional Indian fabrics with Swarovski crystals and fur. As she started off with the aim of expressing herself through her ensembles, initially, Sukki’s looks were maximalist, over-the-top confections that were designed to attract and catch your attention. “I was following the ‘more is more’ approach. Instead of 10 feathers, I’d use 100, instead of 50 crystals, I’d go with 500. More recently, however, I’ve found myself stripping back — no pun intended — because I want to celebrate my natural beauty,” reveals Sukki, who was engaged in a four-year battle to legalise burlesque in Singapore. “Before Covid hit, I was at Elton John’s Oscar party and if you look at the pictures, you’ll see my massively long rainbow wig. But now, I've made a shift to a more natural look,” she adds.
Saris and Swarovski
One of her favourite costumes is made from a sari her mother brought back from Thrissur, where her father’s family still lives. Another outfit, which is also made from a sari, is embellished with 50,000 Swarovski crystals and is being given away to be showcased at the Burlesque Hall of Fame. “I love to play with silhouettes and with the geometry of the piece. I am that person who, at a new place, will look under the table because that is how curious I am and I apply that curiosity to my costumes,” shares Sukki, adding that she is inspired by emotions, life and memories. As an artiste, she also finds inspiration in the works of Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood and Gucci. “But I try not to be influenced by anyone. For me, inspiration can come from the most unusual places. Just last week, I was driving and I saw a road sign that shows you the road ahead. It was such a weird shape, like a donut with spirals coming out. I remember looking at it and thinking maybe I should use that in my next costume,” she recalls.
Going off-duty
Off-stage, Sukki likes to keep it eclectic — a mix of vintage, high street and unique finds from charity shops. “I don’t want my clothes to be mundane because they are a reflection of my soul. I’ve travelled to New York, Florida, Germany, Paris and I own vintage clothing from all these places,” she says. Kim Kardashian’s all-black outfit complete with a matching balaclava at the 2021 Met Gala may have been a polarising one, but Sukki believes that it was nothing short of genius. “I love the idea of expressing who I am through my clothes and that’s why I thought Kim’s Balenciaga ensemble was a stroke of genius, because it tells you it’s Kim Kardashian by highlighting the shape of her body,” she enthuses. Talking about how burlesque has permeated every level of fashion, Sukki shares that there has always been an overlap between the artform and couture. “Look at Gaultier and Louboutin. You can see the influence of burlesque in their aesthetic. Even Gucci, with their feather trim blouses and corsets, reference this ancient art form. I think it’s an empowering influence. It’s about making a woman feel sexually empowered. And in neo-burlesque, the version of the genre that is practised today, you can see influences of modern fashion,” she explains.
Asia in the spotlight
Sukki is one among a handful of Asian artistes in burlesque and she hopes to lead the way for Asian representation in the field. Barbara Yung, an American artiste of Chinese origin who performed from
the early 1940s to the mid-1970s, is someone Sukki idolises. Her ensembles, made from Chinese silk, were synonymous with her acts and as a tribute to her, Sukki created a similar one for herself, but with Indian weaves. “I actually got the chance to speak to the legend on the phone and I asked her for her blessing. She said, ‘I’ve seen your videos and I just want to say thank you for remembering me.’ I was due to meet her six weeks later, but a week before the meeting, she passed,” recalls Sukki, who was invited to tea at Buckingham Palace as a recognition for her contribution to the arts.
On the horizon
Having travelled the world extensively and done as many shows as she possibly could, the artiste is now looking forward to spending more time off the stage and exploring the medium of television, films and OTT shows. Sukki who was a cast member of Singapore Social, a 2019 docu-series on Netflix, now has her sights set on Bollywood. “I am definitely coming to India sometime this year. I have two film projects lined up. I grew up watching Bollywood and now I have the opportunity to be a part of it. It feels quite surreal,” she says, signing off.