The cosmos has long been a source of inspiration, influencing everything from art to fashion. In the world of drag, queens have often turned to the stars to search for inspiration for the runway. Here are ten of the most stunning space-inspired looks from Drag Race queens.
Note: These are only looks that were seen on RuPaul’s Drag Race (or planned for the season). There are also many amazing space-themed outfits outside of the show, so a part 2 is in the making!
1. Aquaria – Last Ball on Earth (Season 10)
It’s the dawn of the age of Aquaria! The Season 10 winner was only 21 years old during the time of filming, and yet she left her mark as one of the top fashion queens in the whole franchise. The Last Ball on Earth challenge was a clear demonstration of the skills as she excelled in all three categories. Her outfit for the “Martian Eleganza Extravaganza” that she had to make in the workroom is the cherry on top of her first two looks: sleek, futuristic and presented with 100% confidence.
2. Jaida Essence Hall – Grand Finale (Season 12)
The Essence of Beauty has been enthrusting the viewers all season long. Her galaxy-inspired Grand Finale outfit – despite it being shown via Zoom – was a truly jawdropping masterpiece to lead up to her crowning. The outfit featured a deep, iridescent fabric that transitioned from dark nebula blues to twinkling starlit purples, capturing the essence of a night sky. Accentuated with celestial accessories and a stunning headpiece that resembled a halo of stars, Jaida’s look was a stellar masterpiece that truly shone in the Drag Race constellation. The designer behind his masterpiece was Joshuan Aponte who most viewers might recognize as he has been commissioned by a range of queens and brought many stunning pieces to the runway. The artist posted a BTS timelapse of the construction, from sketching to constructing the wires and stoning, highly recommended to watch!
3. Ella Vaday – Oh My Goddess (UK Season 3)
Ella Vaday wowed the judges with this simply beautiful constellation look for the Oh My Goddess runway. The outfit is reminiscent of the Starlight Fairy Barbie from 2001, with an incredibly gorgeous face being followed by a starry outfit. She is radiating divine elegance with her bodysuit embellished with intricate silver detailing and countless gems sparkling like the night sky. According to her Instagram, she wanted to represent the Virgo Goddess who often is depicted with blue hair and in nude. With this look, Ella Vaday truly embodied the essence of a goddess.
4. Rita Baga – Coronation Eleganza (Canada Season 1)
“Why is she green?” Doesn’t matter, Rita Baga looked amazing in her final look for Canada Season 1. As part of the top three, expectations were high and yet all of them delivered. Rita Baga might not have won, but she could have left home and lead a starship fleet into battle as the most powerful interstellar president.
5. Rock M. Sakura – The Color Purple (Season 12 unaired)
Rock M. Sakura is known for her references in her outfits and her unaired look that she would have worn for the “The Color Purple” runway is a perfect example. The anime & cartoon lover shared her twist on the theme on social media, revealing a beautiful gown inspired by Lumpy Space Princess from Adventure Time. It’s sad not to have seen this purple galaxy on television, but it’s too good not to be looked at regularly.
6. Sagittaria – De Mercadillo (España Season 1)
The first challenge for the queens in España Season 1 was a design challenge, having to craft a high-fashion outfit with flea market items. Sagittaria delivered an incredible selfmade look, branding herself from the get-go. With a constellation as a moniker, she crafted a beautiful piece of art with a hoop skirt and planets surrounding her. The Instagram caption for her looks is “Next stop Dimension Sagittarius ♐️” and it definitely is worth going on a trip there.
7. Vanda Miss Joaquim – Miss Star of the Galaxy (Thailand Season 2)
Vanda Miss Joaquim was shining bright on Thailand Season 2, especially with her Miss Star of the Galaxy outfit. She described her concept as golden star and galactic gold, being a goddess that came down to earth to feed the cats. A golden star is indeed a fitting description, as she was sparkling from head to toes in this gown.
8. Monét X Change – Boots the House down (All Stars 4)
This entry might be debatable since it is not intended to be space-inspired. Monét X Change described it as motocross and if Rihanna had a dirt bike. However, personally the black and blue combo not only shas a futuristic touch to me, it also reminds me of the armour from Mass Effect which is the reason it landed on this list. Also, Monét simply looks stunning!
9. Kameron Michaels – Hats Incredible (Season 10)
The Bodybuilder Barbie Kameron Michaels was a quiet assassin, but she truly never looked bad. One of her standout runway moments was her Hats Incredible look. The centerpiece was in accordance with the theme, as she presented a headpiece consisting of several intertwined rings that were spinning around as she walked down the runway. It resembles an armillary sphere, which is an ancient astronomical instrument invented by Greek astronomers around the 3rd century BCE. The circles represent the celestial sphere, such as the ecliptic, celestial equator, and other celestial coordinates. These rings are interconnected and can be rotated to model the apparent motion of the stars and planets around the Earth.
10. Mayhem Miller – Last Ball on Earth (Season 10)
We will go full circle and end with another look from the Last Ball on Earth challenge. While in the show, Mayhem only received a safe placement, she will close this top 10 list with her red and gold outfit. Her ball outfit features both glamour and apocalyptic vibes. The outfit featured metallic accents, distressed textures, and bold embellishments. Mayhem’s makeup was also on point, with dramatic red lenses and black eyeliner, accentuating what she is now famous for – her big eyes that cause confusion!
M16 Nebula 
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