A lot of my designs draw heavily from supernatural and gothic constructs (e.g. spells, dragons and divination) and this headpiece is no exception. I had been toying with the idea of a tarot-themed piece for a while, but the idea of immortalising drag luminaries as members of the Major Arcana really brought this design together. Manufacturing the cap necessitated getting to grips with Fosshape (a thermoplastic fabric), which shrinks and stiffens when exposed to high temperatures. Fosshape is very good for capturing complex curves, making it an ideal medium for creating a close-fitting cap. The base was then wired, painted and sequined to create a glamorous complement to the ornate cameos around the peak and the backdrop of colourful cards. This headpiece was another commission for Rita Aíbhinn Booke, so I asked her to choose the seven queens to be featured.
The featured queens are:
Alaska as Justice
Chad Michaels as The Empress
Rita Aíbhinn Booke as The Chariot
RuPaul as Judgement
Peaches Christ as The High Priestess
Katya as The Fool
Glitz Glam as The Magician
