Gottmik and Violet Chachki Brought Epic Drag Style to Fashion Month
Every fashion season brings the world’s most stylish stars to the front row. But there was a dynamic duo who particularly caught our eye at the fall 2022 collections: drag superstars Gottmik and Violet Chachki. At each presentation, the two friends would show up in coordinated ensembles, nailing the aesthetic of the designer whose show they were attending. One day, they could dress up in Blumarine’s sweet, Y2K frocks; the next, they embraced Prada’s sleeker, neutral pieces. “We had to have sprinter vans with clothing racks waiting, so we could run around and get to each show just in time,” Gottmik tells Vogue. “I grew up idolizing so many designers. Now, being able to show up to the shows, wearing the designs of those very same designers, has been nothing short of a dream come true.”
Going into the month, Gottmik and Chachki—who are some of RuPaul’s Drag Race’s top queens—knew they would have to bring their best ensembles. “I definitely wanted to embody the mood of the brand, while bringing my own unique edge to the table,” says Gottmik. Chachki also saw an opportunity to send a message. “I always think of fashion as a language,” says Chachki. “For me, going into these spaces and representing the queer and gender non-conforming community is my top priority. I want fashion and pop culture to see queer people as we are—strong, beautiful, and confident.”
The two drag stars each have their own unique fashion taste. “Our styles are so different, in the sense that Violet loves a more vintage pin-up silhouette, whereas I gravitate to more of an edgy punk-rock vibe,” says Gottmik. But despite that, they end up looking harmonious as a pair. At the Roberto Cavalli show in Milan, for instance, Chachki opted for a glamorously wild tiger-print dress, while Gottmik opted for an edgier, strappy black gown. “Our looks always come together really organically,” says Chachki. “We never really plan to coordinate, it just happens.” Gottmik adds, “Our styles end up in a very similar world most of the time, because we both love breaking boundaries and pushing fashion and art to the limit.”
For Chachki, a major highlight was walking in the Richard Quinn show. “I felt powerful, queer, and seen,” says Chachki. Her favorite collection was Cavalli in Milan. “Fausto Puglisi has really taken the DNA of Cavalli and reinvigorated it. The clothes were incredible, the space was powerful, the models could walk, and the music was good.” She was also a fan of Miu Miu, Prada, Moschino, and Schiaparelli. “I really enjoyed getting to see the details of the Schiaparelli collection in an intimate cocktail setting,” says Chachki. The design is so smart, and fresh, but still glamorous and surreal.”
For Gottmik, the Moschino and Roberto Cavalli shows were the standouts in Milan. In Paris, it was Miu Miu, Ludovic de Saint Sernin, and Schiaparelli. “The level of detailing [at Schiaparelli], and ideas that go into each piece, just bleeds brilliance,” says Gottmik. “Macabre and punk rock references somehow becoming the most elegant, classic piece is so inspiring and exciting to me. Where else can I wear gold pierced nipples, 5-inch long toenails, and a gimp mask, without even thinking twice about walking into tea with the queen?”
Outside of the fashion shows, the duo made sure to take in tourist attractions like Milan’s Duomo and the Catacombs in Paris. “I also love going vintage or thrift shopping when I travel, and I scored some of the most amazing pieces this trip,” says Chachki, who scored a leopard-print Jean Paul Gaultier vest and Thierry Mugler dress. And of course, they had to experience the best food the cities had to offer. “Violet and I share a very strong love of food, so we basically would wake up, get into drag, attend shows during the day, rush home to get out of drag, and then immediately search for the most stunning restaurant,” says Gottmik.
True friends, their favorite part of the past few weeks was enjoying each other’s company, and meeting like-minded creatives. “I always treat fashion month as a creative conference; I truly believe it’s some of the best minds from different creative fields coming together in one place,” says Chachki. “I have some of the most meaningful conversations, see some of the best designs, make new connections, and see old friends.” Gottmik also left the busy month feeling inspired to take their drag art to the next level. “I grew up with such a love of fashion and art, and being here in the center of it all with some of my favorite people in the world, has not only been a dream come true, but also inspired me to keep pushing the limits of my art and who I am as an artist,” says Gottmik. “Time to crash the cistem for real.”
Below, more of Gottmik and Chachki’s best fashion month looks.
Photo: Courtesy of Violet Chachki1/10In Richard Quinn
Photo: Courtesy of Violet Chachki2/10In Prada
