My Style: Russella
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Your support makes all the difference. Occupation: Drag queen
Age: 25
Personal style: 1980s glam
James Sherwood: Looking as you do, it's no surprise to find you somewhere glamorous.
Russella: Thank you. I'm in Paris for the shows. Last night I was at the Balenciaga party. Today I'm having tea with a Buddhist monk from Thailand. How fabulous is that?
JS: Pretty fabulous. In your last incarnation you were Christina Draguilera performing at Bistrotheque. Do you shed skin often?
R: No, there are elements I always keep, such as the big glitter lips, giant eyelashes and blonde wigs. But my performances vary.
JS: In my day, London was dominated by drag queens lip-synching to compilation tapes from camp TV shows and films. Your act is more satirical. How has drag evolved?
R: I think we're more performance art-based. That said, I always wanted to sing and dance.
JS: I would describe your look as Dynasty glam. You could have just stepped off a Jeremy Scott runway. I'll bet the designers are queuing up to dress you.
R: I would love to wear couture. I adore Zac Posen. Dior is heaven. Versace is drag so I wouldn't touch it.
JS: Talk me through the frock.
R: I bought it for £3 at Peacock. I stole the lamé bow from my friend Paloma. My make-up is MAC. My lashes are Charles Fox and my wigs are from eBay. I'm such a cheap tranny.
JS: Cheap you ain't. Tell me about shoes.
R: I get a lot from the US and some vintage heels from Beyond Retro. I had a boyfriend in New York for a couple of years so I bought a lot of large-size stilettos out there.
JS: Don't the Hoxton designers long to dress you? I could see you in Gareth Pugh.
R: I went to his show at London Fashion Week and adored the safety-pin dress. But I wonder whether any young designer would want a drag queen in old-school Dolly Parton wigs wearing their clothes.
JS: I think they'd be honoured. It's about time we had a 21st-century RuPaul.
www.myspace.com/fabulousrussella
Get the 'Dynasty glam' look
Black-and-gold shoes £16, by Beyond Retro, tel: 020 7613 3636
Gold pigment pot, £15, by MAC, www.maccosmetics.co.uk
Cream gloves, £30, by Cornelia James, tel: 01273 485 900
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