dirty Night saw a constellation of Drag Queens put their best faces forward and strut their style in lace and leather
The dirty Magazine hosted a blurry night on the 5th of August in Mumbai. Themed around lace and leather, the attendees experienced some outrageous performances from the drag queens and from the queer community.
“Drag is about performance, but it’s also such a visual medium—makeup is so important to that process,” says Glorious Luna, aka Suruj Rajkhowa. For the dirty Night, she began conceptualising her look the way she always does, with an image that inspires her. The night’s lace and leather theme mandated a certain edginess, so Luna’s otherwise high-femme aesthetic was channeled into one that included the rawness of BDSM. “Red to me is such a dirty colour,” says Luna of her look, which included a leather bralette with a ruffled, sheer kimono on top, all in a look-at-me shade of red.
For her makeup, she looked to the excess aesthetic of the 80s and to the internet’s (and the Safdie brothers’) favourite muse, Julia Fox. This translated into a swoop of graphic liner and Warhol-esque pop of blue eyeshadow, and a bold red lip that couldn't help but announce itself. Luna used Fix + - Cherry Blossom, Studio fix fluid foundation in NC 45, Brushstroke 24 Hour Liner in Brushblack and her red lip was a mix of colours that included the iconic Ruby Woo—all by M.A.C. cosmetics.
IG: @glorious_luna
Subversion is drag artist Dame Imfala aka Yaikhom Sushiel. They predicted that the night’s theme of lace and leather would lead most down a path of BDSM-inspired looks, so their instinct was to take the road less travelled and channel a “biker chick who just met with an accident.” “I was going to try and be safe with my look, but then I decided to go all out,” they say, and the gothic, Tim Burton-esque look they delivered is a testament to that. Altering a leather menswear piece to include lace panels that cinched in and feminised the silhouette is just one of the many ways that Dame Imfala likes to subvert what is traditionally masculine.
When it comes to makeup, they are completely self-taught, which you can be forgiven for not believing given the intricate artisanship of their looks. For this one, which called for high glamour with a macabre edge, They used M.A.C. Studio Fix fluid foundation in NC 35, the brand’s Fix + - Cherry Blossom spray to prime and finish the look, and Powder Kiss Liquid lipstick as an accent.
IG: @sushiru_ & @dameimfala
“Lady Gaga is my drag mother,” confesses Gentleman Gaga aka Sanket Sawant, detailing how the star’s single ‘Poker Face’ revolutionised the way out-of-the-box aesthetics were perceived. As the years passed, Ariana Grande and Doja Cat joined Gaga’s list of influences, and from that confluence was born Gentleman Gaga. Although her usual go-to is “all things sequin and glitter,” for the dirty Night, the lace and leather theme inspired a look that comprised all-black leather with metallic hardware detailing, fishnet stockings and a collar.
“I had never used M.A.C. cosmetics before that night,” says Gaga, but admits that she may have found her holy grail foundation with the Studio Fix fluid foundation. Pops of electric blue punctuated the otherwise all-black outfit, most notably her high ponytail and stand out eye makeup. “I’m not much of a lipstick fan,” confesses Gaga, “But I love lip glosses.” She used the Sized To Go LipGlass in the Love Child shade, as well as the M.A.C. Glow Play Blush - Hd Cherry Tree, which she swears stayed put all night with nary a need for touch ups.
IG: @gentleman_gaga
The dirty Magazine hosted a blurry night on the 5th of August in Mumbai. Themed around lace and leather, the attendees experienced some outrageous performances from the drag queens and from the queer community.
“Drag is about performance, but it’s also such a visual medium—makeup is so important to that process,” says Glorious Luna, aka Suruj Rajkhowa. For the dirty Night, she began conceptualising her look the way she always does, with an image that inspires her. The night’s lace and leather theme mandated a certain edginess, so Luna’s otherwise high-femme aesthetic was channeled into one that included the rawness of BDSM. “Red to me is such a dirty colour,” says Luna of her look, which included a leather bralette with a ruffled, sheer kimono on top, all in a look-at-me shade of red.
For her makeup, she looked to the excess aesthetic of the 80s and to the internet’s (and the Safdie brothers’) favourite muse, Julia Fox. This translated into a swoop of graphic liner and Warhol-esque pop of blue eyeshadow, and a bold red lip that couldn't help but announce itself. Luna used Fix + - Cherry Blossom, Studio fix fluid foundation in NC 45, Brushstroke 24 Hour Liner in Brushblack and her red lip was a mix of colours that included the iconic Ruby Woo—all by M.A.C. cosmetics.
IG: @glorious_luna
Subversion is drag artist Dame Imfala aka Yaikhom Sushiel. They predicted that the night’s theme of lace and leather would lead most down a path of BDSM-inspired looks, so their instinct was to take the road less travelled and channel a “biker chick who just met with an accident.” “I was going to try and be safe with my look, but then I decided to go all out,” they say, and the gothic, Tim Burton-esque look they delivered is a testament to that. Altering a leather menswear piece to include lace panels that cinched in and feminised the silhouette is just one of the many ways that Dame Imfala likes to subvert what is traditionally masculine.
When it comes to makeup, they are completely self-taught, which you can be forgiven for not believing given the intricate artisanship of their looks. For this one, which called for high glamour with a macabre edge, They used M.A.C. Studio Fix fluid foundation in NC 35, the brand’s Fix + - Cherry Blossom spray to prime and finish the look, and Powder Kiss Liquid lipstick as an accent.
IG: @sushiru_ & @dameimfala
“Lady Gaga is my drag mother,” confesses Gentleman Gaga aka Sanket Sawant, detailing how the star’s single ‘Poker Face’ revolutionised the way out-of-the-box aesthetics were perceived. As the years passed, Ariana Grande and Doja Cat joined Gaga’s list of influences, and from that confluence was born Gentleman Gaga. Although her usual go-to is “all things sequin and glitter,” for the dirty Night, the lace and leather theme inspired a look that comprised all-black leather with metallic hardware detailing, fishnet stockings and a collar.
“I had never used M.A.C. cosmetics before that night,” says Gaga, but admits that she may have found her holy grail foundation with the Studio Fix fluid foundation. Pops of electric blue punctuated the otherwise all-black outfit, most notably her high ponytail and stand out eye makeup. “I’m not much of a lipstick fan,” confesses Gaga, “But I love lip glosses.” She used the Sized To Go LipGlass in the Love Child shade, as well as the M.A.C. Glow Play Blush - Hd Cherry Tree, which she swears stayed put all night with nary a need for touch ups.
