Shanghai Mermaid NYC | Erica Camille Photography

Lately I’ve been spending more time in my photo archives—digging through old hard drives, rediscovering moments I’d almost forgotten. In the process, I decided to pull together a little retrospective of one of the most unforgettable NYC events I’ve ever photographed: Juliette Campbell’s Shanghai Mermaid.

Held at the now-legendary Red Lotus Room, Shanghai Mermaid is a fully immersive speakeasy experience inspired by the 1920s and ’30s. Think velvet curtains, vintage burlesque, cigarette girls, jazz bands, and an audience that dressed as well as the performers. It was theatrical, subversive, and deeply rooted in the spirit of underground New York.

Juliette’s vision—and the community that gathered around it—created something rare: a party that felt like time travel, ritual, and rebellion all at once. I was lucky enough to document it over the years, and going through these images feels like stepping back into a world that’s both gone and still alive in all of us who were there.

Scroll through for a glimpse of the magic.