It’s my agency perception that probably the most spectacular artists on the planet are drag queens. From the primary episode I watched of RuPaul’s Drag Race, then seeing drag performers reside once I moved to Los Angeles, it grew to become abundantly apparent to me that drag queens can do all of it. However over time, I’ve additionally realized that they’ll’t do all of it on their very own— the largest drag stars working as we speak have massive groups of creatives and different artists they work with each day to carry their costumes and performances to life, lots of whom toil away simply shy of the general public eye.
Drag design artist Casey Caldwell is a star of RuPaul’s Drag Race in his personal proper, however you may not have ever heard of him. That’s as a result of though his unimaginable designs have been worn on the principle stage by queens all through many seasons of the present, his identify isn’t talked about on air. Such is the case for a lot of the numerous different collaborators who work with the drag queen contestants on the present, and it’s excessive time their contributions to the wonderful world of drag are delivered to the fore.
With that in thoughts, I reached out to Caldwell on to be taught extra about his journey as a fancy dress and dressmaker, whose otherworldly work has helped mildew queer inventive tradition for years.
(This dialog has been edited and condensed for readability and size.)
Rewinding to the start, have you ever at all times been inventive?
Rising up, I used to be at all times very inventive, very delicate, very artful. I cherished to decorate up. You’ll find photos of me once I was in kindergarten, 4 or 5 years previous, in full Little Mermaid drag. I’m so fortunate— I had a lot assist from my household, and I do know a number of younger queer children don’t have that. My dad and mom had been like, Sure! Go wild! Be inventive! Specific your self! So I really feel prefer it’s at all times been part of my DNA. My mother taught me to stitch once I was fairly younger, like late elementary college, center college. I’d discover issues at thrift shops and take them residence and rip them aside and put them collectively in bizarre methods. That was the start of it; I had this have to be inventive and make issues, and I’ve at all times cherished utilizing myself as a canvas for that.
I do know you’ve achieved some drag your self, however what was it about working extra behind the scenes creating appears to be like for others that you simply gravitated in direction of?
I went to school at UC Santa Cruz and initially studied performing; I used to be a theater and movie main, specializing in being on stage and in productions. However after doing a couple of massive reveals, I used to be at all times so centered on and within the behind the scenes ingredient of it. I like performing, however I felt like, as an actor, I used to be being advised what to do and what to put on, and I’ve by no means cherished that. I’ve at all times wished to decorate myself. Once I was a child, I needed to put on uniforms to highschool, and that actually ripped my soul aside as a result of I simply wished to put on what I wished to.
So I noticed what I used to be truly occupied with was the design components of reveals and productions, as a result of that’s the place I can have inventive energy and management. That’s actually once I began honing my skills as a designer and as a sewer and as a creator.
How did you develop your distinctive design aesthetic?
I’ve at all times been interested in costumes and items that really feel alive in a method. Fringe components are at all times actually inspiring to me, or ruffles, and issues that, when a performer wears them, the outfit itself nearly comes alive. They’re serving to the performer do a number of the work when the motion extends past their physique.
I’ve at all times been a seashore child— I used to be born in La Jolla and I grew up principally in St. Pete, Florida, after which I moved to Santa Cruz— so I’ve at all times been very near the ocean and the water, and I used to be a swimmer rising up, so I really feel like that ingredient has at all times impressed my work rather a lot too.
What’s your studio set-up like?
I’ve a small studio right here in Brooklyn; I actually wish to have my studio within the place that I’m dwelling. I’ve just a little two-bedroom out in Ocean Hill, the place the smaller room is my bed room, after which the large nook room with a lot of home windows is the studio house. Even earlier than this, for therefore a few years I’d use my front room and oftentimes my bed room to work— I’d be swiping pins off my mattress to fall asleep.
It’s good that I’ve just a little bit extra separation now, however I do wish to have my studio house very shut by. Plenty of occasions, it’s 2:00 within the morning, and I really feel impressed, and should make one thing, or I don’t wish to lose the concept that I’ve. It’s good to have the ability to simply run and bounce into the studio and jot one thing down or sew one thing collectively. It’s necessary to have that outlet the place I can bounce in at any time.
What’s the make-up of your design crew?
I’ve my one go-to design assistant, Lilith LeFae. She’s a New York born-and-raised trans lady that I met within the drag scene once I was performing rather a lot, and he or she was too. She’s right here nearly day-after-day, serving to get issues and orders collectively, after which once I did We’re Right here, she was my assistant that traveled with me for that present. So it’s the 2 of us a number of occasions, after which when issues get busy— particularly when Drag Race seasons are occurring or I’m engaged on a much bigger manufacturing— I’ll rent further fingers and other people.
Then actually, my mother flies out and helps me on a regular basis— I exploit her at no cost labor. She’ll sleep on my sofa and simply work with me across the clock. She was the one who taught me tips on how to sew initially, and clearly is aware of me very effectively, and he or she’s simply very artful. We’ve been collaborating on costumes my whole life! My mother’s a doer. She feels the most effective when she’s doing one thing, so I take full benefit of that. Persons are like, “Oh my God, that’s one thing so particular that you’ve got— cherish that,” or, “I want I had that shut of a relationship with my mom, and that she was as invested within the issues that I do as your mother is.” It’s really particular; I like her. She’s my favourite.
So lots of your designs have been prominently worn by big-name queens competing on RuPaul’s Drag Race over time— a lot so, actually, that you’ve got turn into an integral a part of what makes the present so unimaginable and beloved. What does it really feel like being so concerned in such a cornerstone of inventive queer tradition?
It’s so wonderful. If I feel again to 10 years in the past, what I do now wasn’t even a factor. There have been no full-time drag costume designers for TV— that job simply didn’t exist. It’s loopy how Drag Race has modified the sphere for younger designers and queer folks generally.
I by no means would have thought once I was in my dorm room in Santa Cruz placing issues collectively that someday I’d be making issues for reveals on HBO, or that had been featured on RuPaul’s Drag Race, and had been inspiring so many individuals. It’s wonderful once you see fan artwork folks make of your designs. They see it on TV, after which they create extra artwork from that; it’s so cool. I even have a bunch of fan artwork up in my studio. It’s loopy how massive of a phenomenon Drag Race has turn into and the way so many individuals get to see this queer artwork. I’m so grateful.
What’s the collaborative course of sometimes like for you when working with a queen for a given look?
It’s so completely different for each challenge. I’ve been fortunate sufficient to have the ability to work with a number of my associates— Scarlet Envy, Rosé, Jan— so once they acquired forged on the present, it was very very like, Right here’s the record of runway classes, is there something you’re impressed by? It’s good when I’m working with those that I do know very effectively who belief me sufficient to present me freedom to give you concepts alone.
Different occasions queens will likely be like, Hey, that is the precise problem I considered for you, and so they’ll ship me photos of issues they’re impressed by. Then I’ll take the items that they provide me and sketch one thing up, and we’ll shuttle.
In the case of making designs for Drag Race, the time constraints are so loopy. The queens will get the decision that they’re on the present, after which generally they’ve two or three weeks to organize. Probably the most I’ve ever had is possibly a month for an All Stars season, however it’s a must to push the work out so quick. Then there’s this bizarre ready interval— I ponder if issues had been used, or in the event that they favored stuff, or in the event that they made it to the tip of the present? So it’s type of a bet engaged on that present.
While you’re watching the present as a viewer, do you get nervous when the appears to be like you’ve created are strolling down the runway and being critiqued by RuPaul, Michelle Visage, and the opposite judges?
I do get just a little nervous, however normally by then, I’ve talked to the queen, and they’re going to give me a heads up. More often than not, it goes effectively. However I additionally get that it’s a actuality TV present, and so they should construct in a number of drama, and that sways how issues go, so I attempt to not take it to coronary heart.
It’s all subjective too, so if somebody isn’t into one thing, that doesn’t imply that it’s dangerous or something. On the finish of the day, I really feel good sending the issues out figuring out that they had been crafted with love, and that the queen was into it, and that it was a profitable collaboration. So if it was “tooted” or “booted,” or if the world cherished it or didn’t, I’m identical to, No matter, I acquired my verify— I’m good!
This is perhaps an unimaginable “Sophie’s Selection” query, however do you’ve got a favourite look that you simply’ve designed with or for a queen?
The primary massive second I had was doing Sasha Velour’s search for the reunion episode of season 9. It was this go well with that was a mint, loopy, gathered, spiky factor. I felt prefer it was very true to my aesthetic and it was a real collaboration together with her to create. That was the primary time my enterprise began to explode in an enormous method. It was a pleasant method for me to broaden my enterprise and develop, and it was very well acquired by folks. It was the start of a number of collaborations I’ve achieved with Sasha.
I’m additionally very happy with the work I did for Trinity the Tuck on All Stars season 4. I used to be in a bizarre place the place I’d moved to Miami with an ex-partner, and I used to be caught in a year-long lease. Then Trinity reached out saying, Hey, I’m going again for All Stars and I’d love to rent you to make a bunch of issues— no matter you’ll be able to deal with. In order that took me out of the darkness, and I used to be in a position to create a number of actually cool, inspiring issues. Then I used to be in a position to save up sufficient cash to maneuver again to New York, the place I knew I belonged and wished to be.
Seeing these appears to be like stroll on the runway was very profound, personally. I used to be very happy with that work and it was well-received— I imply, Trinity ended up profitable! So it was this design collaboration and second that introduced me out of a spot and again to the place I wanted to be.
Other than Drag Race, you’ve additionally labored season two of the HBO collection We’re Right here, the place you had been truly onscreen, and a part of a crew that received an Emmy for Excellent Costumes for Selection, Nonfiction or Actuality Programming. What has that have been like?
I like doing issues for Drag Race, however a number of occasions, the work that you simply do isn’t credited to you as a designer. Viewers that know will see the queens tag the designers on Instagram, or they’ll discover different methods to credit score you, however generally, when folks watch it, they simply assume the queen has made all of these items; it isn’t actually connected to your identify. So We’re Right here was very nice as a result of we’re seen on digital camera, and viewers see that there’s a crew of execs placing all of this drag collectively. It actually does take a military to have the ability to create all of this fabulousness…I get to truly be onscreen and present among the means of the way it all comes collectively. I get to be the face and have credit score for the work that we’re doing.
To work on We’re Right here after which to win an Emmy for it, that basically was a full-circle second. It was me, Diego Montoya, Domino, Patryq, and Marco Marco, and the 5 of us have all labored on Drag Race for dozens of seasons at this level. So it felt very nice accepting an award with those that I do know have actually put within the work on the planet of drag who haven’t essentially gotten a number of credit score for the issues that they’ve achieved. That was a very particular second of celebrating actual drag design artists.
