BARCELONA NIGHT by Ian M
July 31, 2019
VIBRATIONS by Aris Akritidis
August 5, 2019
artPLAY fashion let’s start playing……
“IMMACULATA” an artPLAY exclusive fashion story and an interview with with London’s holy one and only Virgin Mary drag compere and comedian, Virgin Xtravaganzah.
Virgin Xtravaganzah is an international performer and MC- Iceland, Hong Kong, Netherlands, and throughout Europe. She has brought her shows to The Underbelly Festival, Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club, and The Royal Vauxhall Tavern. She curates and hosts her semi regular Xtravaganzah variety shows at The Royal Vauxhall Tavern. She also regularly comperes for Torture Garden.
“Immaculata” featuring imagery by Darren Black is a satire that explores the dichotomy of what we might consider a taboo subject, aiming to celebrate the artist’s own extravagant character, beauty and comedic genius.
Photography – Darren Black @darren_black
Styling – Kay Altamira @kayaltamira
Talent – Virgin Xtravaganzah @virgin_x
Videography – Talie Eigeland @talie.eigeland
Production assistant – Kallan Hughes @kallanhughes
Shibari – Anna Kii www.instagram.com/anna.kii.shibari
Video edit – Gareth Kay www.garethkay.co
Stylist assistant – Angelika Vladimirova @aanzhelikaa.n
Special thanks to Matt Harkin and Darkwah @hausofdarkwah
LEFT: Headpiece – Hysteria Machine, Collars – Costume Studio, Pregnant suit – Radville Kisieliuite, Hand Jewellery – Arma Medusa, Shoes – Pleaser, Shibari Art by Anna Kii using Figure of A RIGHT: Latex Body Suit – Libidex , Chest piece – Hysteria Machine, Headpiece/Mouthpiece – Bakeneko Designs
VIRGIN: Latex Body Suit – Libidex , Dress – Ahmed Sorour, Neckpiece – Misty Couture, Hand Jewellery – Arma Medusa, Corset – Libidex, Shoes – Pleaser, Headpiece – Hysteria Machine, Latex Body Suit – Libidex , Dress – Andrew Majtenyi Garter, Belt – Atsuko Kudo, Collar – Costume studio, Choker – Bakeneko , Designs Gloves – Libidex, Hand Jewellery – Arma Medusa DARKWAH: Crown – Bakeneko Designs, Ear piece/bracelet/necklace – Liu Chen
LEFT: VIRGIN Headpiece – Ashley James of Mystic Magic, Latex Body Suit – Libidex, Dress – London School of Trends, Choker/Bustier/Skirt – Lady Lucie, Latex Stigmata – Bakeneko Designs, Hand Jewellery – Arma Medusa, Shoes – Pleaser . DARKWAH Crown – Costume studio, Choker/earring/bracelet/shoes/necklace – Liu Chen, Leggings – Libidex, Stigmata – Bakeneko Designs RIGHT: Latex Body Suit – Libidex, Dress – Ahmed Sorour, Neckpiece – Misty Couture, Hand Jewellery – Arma Medusa, Corset – Libidex, Shoes – Pleaser
VIRGIN: Headpiece – Hysteria Machine, Latex Body Suit – Libidex, Dress – Andrew Majtenyi, Choker – Bakeneko Designs, Collar – Costume studio, Gloves – Libidex, Hand Jewellery – Arma Medusa DARKWAH: Tights – Libidex, Shoes – Liu Chen
LEFT: Hat – Hysteria Machine, Latex Body Suit – Libidex, Necklace – Millie Dollar, Beauty Shoulder Piece – Jivomir Domoustchiev, Harness – Broke Boutique, Belt – Monika Bereza, Gloves – Libidex, Gloves – Lady Lucie Latex, Bracelet – Alexandra Hakim, Ring – Versace, Shoes – Jivomir Domoustchiev RIGHT: Headpiece – Hysteria Machine, Collars – Costume Studio, Pregnant suit – Radville Kisieliuite, Hand Jewellery – Arma Medusa, Shibari Art by Anna Kii using Figure of A
VIRGIN: Headpiece – Hysteria Machine, Latex Body Suit – Libidex, Dress – Andrew Majtenyi, Choker – Bakeneko Designs, Collar – Costume studio, Gloves – Libidex, Finger Pieces – Arma Medusa DARKWAH: Crown – Bakeneko, Ear piece/Bracelet/Necklace/Shoes – Liu Chen, Tights – Libidex
LEFT: Crown – Ashley James of Mystic Magic, Latex Body Suit – Libidex, Dress – Krasimira Stoyneva, Choker – Lady Lucie, Necklace – Hysteria Machine, Necklace – Alexandra Hakim, Hip Enhancer – Magdalane, Celeste Gloves – Car|2IE, Shoes – Jivomir Domoustchiev x Demonia RIGHT: Hat – Hysteria Machine, Latex Body Suit – Libidex, Necklace – Millie Dollar, Beauty Shoulder Piece – Jivomir Domoustchiev, Harness – Broke Boutique, Belt – Monika Bereza, Gloves – Libidex, Gloves – Lady Lucie Latex, Bracelet – Alexandra Hakim, Ring – Versace
Latex Body Suit – Libidex, Headpiece – Hysteria Machine, Choker/Bra/Belt – Insatiable Lust, Bracelet/Leg Harness – Liu Chen, Gloves – Lady Lucie Latex, Shoes – Pleaser
LEFT: Latex Body Suit – Libidex, Headpiece – Hysteria Machine, Choker/Bra/Belt – Insatiable Lust, Bracelet/Leg Harness – Liu Chen, Gloves – Lady Lucie Latex, Shoes – Pleaser . RIGHT Headpiece – Hysteria Machine, Collars – Costume Studio, Pregnant suit – Radville Kisieliuite, Hand Jewellery – Arma Medusa, Shoes – Pleaser, Shibari Art by Anna Kii using Figure of A
Interview by Kay Altamira @kayaltamira
artPLAY: As a 2,000+ year old virgin, what finally drove you to descend to planet earth this time around?
Virgin: Ugh, heaven is boring hunny! It’s full of Christians! I wanted to enjoy my life, be fabulous and EXPRESS myself. Also, this planet is a total mess right now and needs some divine intervention!
artPLAY: Like Madonna, have you been touched for the very first time?
Virgin: Only by the hand of Gawd babes.
artPLAY: You keep surprising us, giving us face like painted for the gawds, tell us about your craft, mug and style inspirations. Or it is all coming by “immaculate conception”?
Virgin: I’m basically just self taught through and through. I taught myself how to do makeup, and I’ve been a performer since I was a child, and I started writing when I was a teenager. I use my experiences of being raised in the church and going to catholic school and growing up queer in small town America in everything I do. I believe in the power of healing through art and I use Virgin to help shed light on all the darkness- both my own personal darkness and the darkness in the world. I am also always inspired by my incredible husband Dusty Payne who helps me so much in the creative process.
artPLAY: What is like to be an Ambassador for The Lalit Hotel and work side by side with fabulous legends such as Amanda Lepore?
Virgin: I adore the Lalit and everything it stands for. It’s owned by Keshav Suri who lives in India- an amazing man who is openly gay, and was instrumental in decriminalising homosexuality in India last year. I also work alongside Eliana Athanasiou who runs the hotel and is a wonderful and highly created person to work alongside. Amanda was a dream- such a warm person, very gracious and totally professional. The night was a total success and I can’t wait to do more with The Lalit!
artPLAY: You have been a strong presence in the Torture Garden scene and have kept busy touring around Europe and compering for The Royal Vauxhall Tavern for some time now, what is next in line paving the way to holly superstardom?
Virgin: More shows with The Lalit in October (watch this space!), I’m also going to India in September for a tour of Kitty Su- the club that Keshav Suri owns located within the Lalit hotels in various cities in India. I’ll also be doing another one of my Xtravaganzah shows at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern on September 18th, and will likely be doing more solo shows with The Glory in Shoreditch during the Christmas season. It’s all go for this Virgin!
artPLAY: Thank you so much Virgin for artPLAYing with us and give us all those Xtrah, finally, could you please share how do we #StrutWithChrist ?
Virgin: When I went to Catholic school, we were always told to “Walk with Christ.” I found this to be so boring, cuz surely if you were walking alongside a god, you’d be doing more than just walking! You’d be strutting and living that #godly fantasy! So… To #StrutWithChrist, all you have to do is own your fabulousness, be the star you know you are, and live your life with as much vibrancy, colour, and MAGIC as possible! Yas!
Headpiece – Hysteria Machine, Latex Body Suit – Libidex, Choker/Bra/Belt – Insatiable Lust
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