Meta is set to showcase the future of fashion design through its latest innovations in virtual and augmented reality with the launch of ‘Queens of the Metaverse’, a pioneering mixed reality drag show. This event will highlight how cutting-edge technology can open new doors for creativity and collaboration in fashion.
Revolutionising Drag with VR and AR
Three of the most iconic drag performers—Blu Hydrangea, Tia Kofi, and Adam All—will take centre stage, each debuting a unique drag look crafted using Meta’s VR and AR technologies. These designs, created in collaboration with three emerging British designers from the LGBTQ+ community, will demonstrate how virtual reality can transform traditional fashion design.
Creative Collaboration in the Metaverse
The drag acts and designers worked closely together, exchanging ideas, mood boards, and concepts within Horizon Workrooms, Meta’s virtual workspace. Using Meta’s Quest VR headsets, their digital avatars interacted seamlessly, allowing them to design bespoke outfits in a fully virtual environment.
The designs will transition from the virtual to the physical world, with the completed garments unveiled at a mixed reality event in London this September. Each look will be enhanced with augmented reality, bringing the outfits to life as animated artworks on the runway.
Empowering Creative Communities
‘Queens of the Metaverse’ illustrates how technologies like VR, AR, and avatars can empower creative communities across the UK to express themselves in new and innovative ways. By removing physical constraints such as limited access to studio space, these technologies foster greater collaboration and creativity.
The designers include Nwora Emenike, a queer, non-binary stylist; Sal Mohammed, a genderfluid NHS worker and life coach; and Christie Lau, a non-binary graduate from Central Saint Martins who merges physical and digital fashion in their work.
A Showcase of Talent
The event, hosted by Dominic Skinner of Glow Up, will feature runway appearances by the three drag stars, with direction by Matt Timmiss, a London-based film director known for his work in queer cinema and drag narratives.
Blu Hydrangea, reflecting on the importance of technology in drag, said: Social media and new technologies let us make our drag bigger and better. The metaverse will allow us to connect with other queer artists globally, which is incredible.
Tia Kofi added: “Technology has the power to bring us closer together. During the pandemic, we had to be creative with tech to keep drag alive. Imagine doing that in virtual reality—feeling like we were all together. That’s the future.”
Adam All commented: “I’m all about pushing boundaries in drag. The metaverse lets us create something entirely new that couldn’t exist otherwise. I believe it could play a huge role in making queer spaces and creatives more visible and inclusive.”
Ineke Paulsen, Meta’s Director of EMEA Marketing, said, Creative communities are key to developing the metaverse. These technologies will help creatives push their imaginations further than ever before. Drag is a blend of art, culture, and performance, and with VR, the possibilities for the drag community are limitless.
