The first-ever mixed reality drag fashion show, Queens of the Metaverse, offers a glimpse into how the LGBTQ+ creative community is using our technologies to inspire a new wave of creation in drag fashion.
From the Metaverse to the Runway
At the immersive runway show in London, three metaverse-inspired drag looks designed using virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies were revealed by Blu Hydrangea, the winner of “RuPaul’s Drag Race: UK vs. The World,” Tia Kofi, a pop music artist and star of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Season 2, and Adam All, a world-renowned drag king.
The three drag acts teamed up with three aspiring designers from the LGBTQ+ community on a first-of-its-kind design process. Digital fashion designers Nwora Emenike, Sal Mohammed and Christie Lau used virtual design technology, digital avatars and Horizon Workrooms to design three outfits that were then made as physical garments.
The garments were presented on the VR runway to an audience of fan-favourite British drag queens, LGBTQ+ creatives and digital creators, including the new cast of “Ru Paul’s Drag Race,” showcasing the power of collaboration in the metaverse.
Each outfit also featured an alternate version that came to life through dynamic AR filters.
“The metaverse will make our drag bigger and better. Even though the metaverse is in the early stages of development, the technologies behind it are already bringing exciting new ways for the drag community and LGBTQ+ creatives to express themselves and experiment. I can only imagine how much further virtual reality would have taken my creativity when I was younger than hiding with bin-bags and sharpies in my bathroom.”
– Blu Hydrangea, winner of “RuPaul’s Drag Race: UK vs. The World
Giving Creators New Ways to Design and Collaborate
The drag community has an immense presence on our platforms. Our data shows that #DragQueen ranks in the top 1% of Instagram hashtags followed by people in the United Kingdom. Queens of the Metaverse champions self-expression, social connection, and visibility for queer communities in the virtual world just as much as in the physical world.
‘’Creative communities will help make the metaverse inclusive and inspiring – with the technologies underpinning it helping creatives overcome some of the barriers that might exist in the physical world, like access to studio space and raw materials. Meta’s Queens of the metaverse is a celebration of how communities can push the boundaries of creativity and social connection physically and online.’’
– Ineke Paulsen, Meta’s Director of EMEA Marketing
