Exploring how drag performers transform identity through fashion – New Zealand Fashion Museum puts drag style in the spotlight in Tāmaki Makaurau this Pride Month with exhibition Inside the Closet.
The free outdoor exhibition will be displayed at Auckland’s Britomart district during Pride Month from February 1 to 28.
The New Zealand Fashion Museum’s new exhibition Inside the Closet honours the artistry, creativity, and incredible mahi behind every look, celebrating the art of self-expression, transformation and community.
Co-curated by drag pioneer Edward Cowley (Buckwheat) and New Zealand photographer Denise Baynham, who shot the series, it features life-size portraits of 13 remarkable performers – legendary Karangahape Road queens, rising stars, drag kings and TikTok sensations – each wearing a colour from the Pride Progress flag.
Inside the Closet stars Buckwheat, Tess Tickle, Kita Mean, Anita Wigl’it, Yuri, Rita Menu, Margarita Blades, Miss Geena, Natrasha, Kola Gin, Ling Ling, Crystal Quartz and Lola Popstickle. QR codes bring the portraits to life; viewers can scan these to hear the participants’ personal stories in their own voices, exploring their relationship with fashion.
“For Buckwheat, fashion is extremely important to her drag persona, and this is because, being a drag artist, a lot of it is about the look.” – Edward Cowley (Buckwheat). Photography for image of Buckwheat (above) and main image of Kita Mean by Denise Baynham.
The series will be on display during Pride Month from February 1 to 28 at Britomart’s Pavilion Panels, located on Galway Street and the Te Ara Tāhuhu pedestrian walkway that connects Takutai Square to Waitematā Station Plaza, Auckland.
The audio stories and behind-the-scenes photoshoot videos are also available to explore at nzfashionmuseum.org.nz and the museum’s digital channels.
Inside The Closet is made with the generous support of Britomart Group, Foundation North and the Rule Foundation.
