How Drag Race Star Jimbo Evolved From Comedy Queen to Fashion Queen
Earlier this month, while performing at Club Sway in Little Rock, Arkansas, drag superstar Jimbo took to the stage in a purple feathered Sarah Runnalls creation—only to take it off to reveal a Shirley Temple-inspired costume underneath. This spectacle was all set to Kylie Minogue’s “Padam Padam” (the gay song of the summer). The crowd went wild: Jimbo had just worn the latter costume on an episode of Drag Race All Stars season 8, in which she’s now a final-four contender. “Children move through emotions—they don’t really stay in something,” says Jimbo of the Temple outfit, which came complete with a babydoll dress and ringlet wig. “They’re happy, then they drop their ice cream, then they’re sad. There’s so much joy in being connected to emotion, and letting it flow through you.”
Fans of Drag Race already know that, when it comes to their drag style, Jimbo is nothing if not joyful. Since appearing on the first season of Canada’s Drag Race in 2020 (she was eliminated in the eighth episode), Jimbo has become a fan favorite thanks to her campy references, comedic performances, and over-the-top silhouettes (her extra-large bust and padding is a signature element of her drag). Who could forget when we were introduced to her as she climbed the “Rocky Mountains” and released blood-curdling screams at the top? Or when she impersonated RuPaul’s maniacal laugh on Drag Race: U.K. vs. The World? “Clowning is nonverbal,” says Jimbo of her approach to comedy. “You want your audience to be able to simultaneously watch your story, and create their own. Words can really trap you in a performance.”
On this season of All Stars, however, Jimbo has been perfecting her craft—evolving from a pure comedy queen, to a rising fashion queen as well. Jimbo admits it’s been a strategic approach on her part. “I went into Canada s Drag Race as a clown: The whole modeling and runway aspect of it was foreign to me,” says Jimbo. “I didn’t know how to serve on the runway. [On All Stars,] I really wanted to try to bring a more fashion point-of-view. But I always try to put my twist on it—with a bit of a sense of humor.”
Over the past seven episodes, Jimbo has taken on each fashion challenge with equal parts wit and style. At the beginning of the season, she sported a voluminous pink gown designed by Diego Montoya; Its spherical shapes were inspired by poodles. “I love poodles—they are like the clowns of the dog world,” says Jimbo. “I love their hair balls, and the ridiculousness of their little legs and eyes. I also love the pink of cherry blossoms; Cherry blossom season in Victoria is a magical time of year.” For the “Ruveal Yourself” challenge in episode five, Jimbo also emerged wearing her take on Adam and Eve—calling it “Adam and Steve”—where Adam’s face was pasted onto the back of her head. The look, designed by Joshuan Aponte and Miles Lowry, even featured an apple with a snake coming out of it.
For the “Fruity Patootie” challenge in episode three, meanwhile, Jimbo strayed from the pack—“I knew all of these girls were showing up as giant pieces of fruit,” she says—and delivered a more high-fashion moment instead. She wore a Pop Art-style dress from Otavio Santiago that paid homage to “fruity icons” such as Marsha P. Johnson, Divine, and of course, RuPaul. “I try to imagine what other people are going to do, so that I don’t do that,” says Jimbo. “I’m a big fan of Versace and Warhol: I was inspired by Warhol’s ability to create iconography out of these icons, and thought it was a good way to pay homage to queer icons. I wanted to show Mama Ru something that she might want to wear herself.”
These style moments have certainly shown a different side of Jimbo, proving she can deliver a jaw-dropping catwalk moment as well as a laugh. But for Jimbo, it’s also been a more empowering evolution. “When I started out, my focus was really about comedy and clowning—I wasn’t too hung up on being pretty or beautiful,” says Jimbo. “I was afraid to try to be beautiful, because no one wants to try to be beautiful and then not be beautiful. But this season, I was really able to elevate [my drag] and have fun. I’m allowing myself to be beautiful. And through that process, I’ve gained so much confidence.”
