Queer culture’s massive contribution and influence in the world of art and fashion is undeniable, and many queer artists yet don’t get the recognition they deserve. Popularly considered to be outcasts, yet the LGBTQIA+ community has had a massive influence on today’s mainstream media. Thus, we take a look at 5 influential artists that continue to challenge the norm in true queer fashion.
Ashish Gupta :
Based in London and designing under the label “Ashish”, this Delhi born designer has taken over the world via colourful sequins. From Madonna, Taylor Swift and Victoria Beckham in the west to Deepika Padukone and top K-pop girl group Red Velvet in the east, Ashish has designed for many high profile personalities. The 3 time winner of prestigious NewGen award also brought queer voices to his sequined runway for A/W 17 Ready to wear collection.
John MacLean :
Not just another Beauty Guru, John Maclean is professionally trained in the art of makeup and his tips and tricks for makeup application are actually useful for someone who wears makeup on a day to day basis and not just limiting to Instagram stories. Aside from his immense knowledge in all things makeup, what sets john apart is his sense of humour, posh accent and portentous vocabulary. Often sporting a black attire in classic silhouettes, John often jokes about being a century old vampire, while presenting us with iconic quotes like “Trends are for the anxious.”
Hungry :
One of the most unique and original Drag Queen in the world, Hungry is a makeup and visual artist based out of Berlin. She has worked with the queen of unique herself, Bjork. Hungry is known for her “distorted drag” aesthetic, having a signature insectoid eye look. Hungry has also appeared on Season 1 of Dragrace Thailand as a Guest judge.
Jasjyot Singh Hans :
This NID graduate, freelance Illustrator has been a strong voice for body positivity and freedom of sexuality. Now, Baltimore based, Jasjyot has an impressive list of clients including Vogue, Elle, Grazia, Marie Clare, Sabyasachi and Manish Arora, but he is more popular for his personal pieces of work that cover topics like sexuality, body image and toxic masculinity.
Sasha Velour :
Sasha is a New York based drag queen, who was the crowned the winner of the Emmy winning, Reality TV drag competition, Rupaul’s Drag Race season 9. Sasha stands out through her gender fluid visual art, mixing high fashion with camp. She also toured around the world with her one woman drag show, “Smokes and Mirrors”. One staple element of her drag is her bald look, which is an homage to her mother who battled cancer. Sasha is without a doubt one of the best representative of modern queer art.
P.S : As a fresh graduate with things on the cooking pot, you can meanwhile check out Chaitanya’s work on –
