Most Fashionable Queens on Drag Race

Drag and mode have ever had a symbiotic human relationship, from vogueing — the dance that mimics the editorial poses of models — to the 2019 Met Gala's Camp: Notes on Fashion theme. Elevate artists parody the images they see on runways, red carpets and the pages of magazines, and, in turn, designers like Gaultier and Jeremy Scott have been inspired past drag's theatricality and gender-usurping.

Since the dawn of RuPaul's Drag Race 12 years ago, the lines between the art form depicted in the Emmy award-winning bear witness and the fashion manufacture take connected to blur. Season after season, episode challenges saw the queen hopefuls creating upcycled looks, making over a Coach handbag and even re-creating Alexander McQueen's breathtaking SS99 spray painting robots. And mail-testify the same queens went on to walk for Savage X Fenty and Moschino, star in Prada campaigns and curate collections for Opening Ceremony.

To celebrate the ever-expanding Drag Race universe and its unparalleled contribution to the fashion cosmos, nosotros've rounded up nine of the most iconic looks within the juggernaut reality prove'due south history thus far.

Gigi Goode in the Black Wedding rails, season 12

"I would never boot one of my looks", Gigi Goode said when i-D asked if there were any looks from her season she retrospectively disliked. It's a fair argument given that Gigi never stepped out on Drag Race'south famous blueish track without serving us a stunningly fashion-forward garment. From her sad 80s teen girl at prom look (her personal favourite) to the Heathers and Scooby Doo references, near of her looks were created by the LA queen's own female parent. However, it was the minimal nonetheless purple air of her Black Wedding runway fit, anomalously designed by Dallas Coulter, that made us gasp. Mixing ruched silk with dramatic tulle in an ode to the classic Christian Dior silhouette, this is what Christine Quinn wished she wore to her wedding.

Still from RuPaul'southward Drag Race

Raja in the Fabulous Elevate track, flavour 3

The OG Drag Race fashion queen, Raja, became well-known for her high fashion nods and distinct style of drag, which many of her competitors just didn't capeesh back in the ancient days of 2011. Bringing to the show years of experience equally a makeup artist for Pamela Anderson, Twiggy and Tyra Banks, Raja created desirable Vivienne Westwood-inspired garments, a pigs blood-doused Carrie await, and, of class, this modern Marie Antoinette fantasy. With pearls draping across her hair and neck alongside sleek velvet gloves, the ensemble, inspired by the Emerge Potter adaptation of Virginia Woolf's Orlando, would've been a perfect fit for the 2020 2021(?) Met Gala.

Yvie Oddly in the finale, flavour 11

The Colorado queen'southward monstrously beasty concepts on the runway, including a fringe jellyfish moment, cybertronic king of beasts and dinosaur feet heels, fabricated Yvie Oddly an inevitable front runner for the season 11 crown. While the Drag Race finale's lip-sync battle has get somewhat synonymous over the years with gags and unflattering garments to hibernate reveals (think this), Yvie was yet able to shock without ever letting go of her sartorial reputation. This wonderfully weird rhinestone muscle dress was a prime example, with a mesmerising croaky skull head slice that was true to the freaky queen we know and adore.

Naomi Smalls in the Celestial White runway, All Stars 4

This gender-flipped tribute to Prince paid homage to the late singers' infamous frilly shirt, pompadour hair and electric guitar in the 1984 film Purple Pelting. "Erotic City come to life" Naomi said in her signature drawl equally she explained the wait, "even in sky I'grand a sexy motherfucker". Obviously, no Prince tribute would be fitting without some cheek on show as well. Two seasons of daring runways, male person-pattern baldness reveals and slight misses at being in the tiptop culminated in Naomi Smalls — named after both the legendary supermodel and beloved rapper, of course — becoming one of the prove's most adored fashion favourites.

Aquaria in the Mermaid Fantasy rails, season ten

The starting time thing that comes to mind when one says mermaid isn't grime covered pare, webbed fingers and shredded tail fins. Merely Aquaria's weathered and brooding mer-creature was a fitting accept that spoke to the very true problem of capitalism destroying our oceans through oil-spills, pollution and overfishing. The message was felt in the dripping black silicone covering her cervix and chest — created by Ssik Kiss (you may recognise their piece of work from many of Lady Gaga's Chromatica era looks) — and the toxic neon blue tears soaking Aquaria'due south eyeballs. "I'thou giving the nearly lethargic mermaid just in the about editorial way" she narrated. That she did.

Symone in the Trains For Days runway, flavor 13

The current U.s. season of Elevate Race has a lot of mode-forrard queens in its roster. Out-shining them all, however, is LA queen Symone, who'south runway looks make it a point to gloat Blackness fashion each week. There was the beaded two-piece, absolute with further hair beads spelling out her own name, a busty Diana Ross and of course her accept on Giselle Bundchen'due south polaroid clothes. On the Trains For Days runway Symone'due south silky cyan durag extended out, trailing across the flooring behind her. Designed by Lizzo-favourite, Marko Monroe, this was the starting time time a durag had ever hit the Elevate Race runway and the judges were definitely impressed.

Violet Chachki at the finale, season 8

Returning to the Orpheum Theatre in downtown LA, where Violet Chachki had been crowned winner of flavour 7 a year prior, there were high expectations for the look Elevate Race'south most sartorial queen would serve. Known for their editorial take on fetish subcultures and making Ariana Grande yell "oh my gad", Violet didn't disappoint, wearing the intricate botanically embroidered gown of a woods enchantress, with bugs sprawled over their breast and hauntingly pale, veiny pare. In that moment, we were all the venerative onlooker at the 0:31 mark.

Shea Coulee in the Love The Skin You're In runway, All Stars 5

This trompe l'oeil airbrushed bodysuit, dripping in Swarovski crystals, was an ode to the Renaissance painting, "The Birth of Venus", past Botticelli. Retelling the story of the roman goddess rise from the ocean as a fully-grown developed — even so at present equally a celebration of Blackness womanhood — Shea appeared nude, other than the gold ringlet jewellery on her cervix and wrists. "Dear the Skin You lot're In is a concept that took a long fourth dimension for me to come up to terms with", the revered All Stars 5 winner and Fell X Fenty model wrote on Instagram. "I've been told that I'm too dark, too nappy, likewise femme to be considered beautiful. That'south why I wanted to fully embrace Blackness dazzler in this runway presentation."

Bimini Bon Boulash in the Preherstoric rail, UK season 2

The East London queen has stolen our hearts in the current season of Drag Race'southward United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland edition, with her punk rock aesthetic, astute sartorial references and unmatched comedic timing. From an appreciating Princess Julia homage and a sheer lacy victorian seaside gown, to a hilarious impression of Katie Price. It was later on the latter though that Bimini took the Preherstoric runway theme — one all others took to mean bones, beast print, messy hair and warpaint — and gave us the mother of all beings: a unmarried-cell organism. As she fluttered her feathery arms, the garment'southward pleats gently waving, this articulate nod to Iris Van Herpen was jiff-taking. We lived. Give Bimini Bon Leaner the crown already.

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