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Business of Fashion
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Business of Fashion
For Makeup that Performs, Look to Drag Queens
It almost sounds almost naive to say that the underground performance artists known as drag queens are in no small part responsible for the 21st century beauty boom, i.e. contouring, cut creases and maybe Kim Kardashian. But the truth is that drag has infiltrated popular culture in almost every way, from pop star imagery to Hollywood franchises to the way we present ourselves. If RuPaul's famous catchphrase is a cliché, it's only because it's true enough to be rote: You're born naked, and the rest is drag. 'You see people wearing lashes on a daily basis,' said the makeup artist David Petruschin, better known by her drag alter ego Raven. 'You see people at a fast food window who are completely contoured and highlighted.' Some queens are only just beginning to cash in. A newly created pipeline, powered in large part by RuPaul Charles' 'Drag Race' universe, which is owned and operated by production company World of Wonder, has delivered some performers to mainstream business success as the faces, formulators and founders of makeup brands. These businesses take on a variety of structures. Mo-Beauty, by the drag queen Mo Heart, is produced by Gostrider, a consumer goods portfolio which owns a majority stake. The Barbiesque Trixie Mattel owns her label Trixie Cosmetics outright, which staffs about nine employees in an office in Burbank, California; it's one of many of Mattel's projects, including shows, a Palm Springs motel and a show about said motel. But both beauty businesses are small compared to competitor brands, and sold only via e-commerce. Trixie Mattel owns her label Trixie Cosmetics. (Courtesy) Then there's Kimchi Chic, founded by the Korean-American drag queen Kim Chi, and the most successful makeup venture to come out of the Drag Race universe to date. The brand has scaled up to $20 million in annual revenue, said a person with knowledge of the company's finances, driven by far and wide distribution — the brand launched in CVS in 2022, came to Amazon in 2024 and has grown explosively on TikTok Shop in the past year. Success depends on good partners. Chi had an early one in Nyx Cosmetics and Bespoke Beauty Brands founder Toni Ko, who approached the queen about partnering on a makeup line in 2018. On its face, putting a drag queen in the seat of a makeup company could be seen as a bankable strategy: Who among professionals better understands both the art and performance of cosmetics? On the other hand, the strategy is not without risk, as drag queens have become targets in the greater culture war. Their default association with progressive politics gives these brands more volatility than typical celebrity or influencer-led ventures. For these brands, that's the point, not the problem. 'We will always champion our drag community,' Tank said, 'in every way that we can.' Partner Up 'Most drag and cosmetics careers intersect,' said Raven, who in her early career worked at the MAC Cosmetics counter by day and performed in clubs by night. But she quit the counter to focus on one-on-one clients after discovering she didn't have the merchant's heart. 'It was hard for me to find the balance between selling and artistry,' she sighed. If RuPaul is the face of drag, it's painted by Raven, who became the diva's makeup artist after impressing her with her technique as a contestant on season three of 'Drag Race.' She estimates she has put Charles in drag between 400 and 500 times — now she hosts a World of Wonder show called Painted by Raven. The two have MAC Cosmetics in common, with the elder queen kicking off MAC's Viva Glam campaign benefitting AIDS research in 1994. (The brand was acquired by the Estée Lauder Companies the same year.) The first season of 'RuPaul's Drag Race,' produced by World of Wonder for the Logo TV channel, attracted a fair share of LGBTQ friendly corporate sponsors; the final four contestants made dresses inspired by Absolut vodka flavors. The show's initial beauty sponsor was Ko's Nyx Cosmetics, but Anastasia Beverly Hills took over in season 7. RuPaul bellows the brand name in the intro of every episode, thanks to Claudia 'Norvina' Soare, the company's president, daughter of founder Anastasia Soare and 'Drag Race' fan, who initiated the partnership. Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey, the founders of World of Wonder, said they didn't have a sense of how successful the partnership has been. 'I feel like there's been mutual growth with both their brand and our brand,' Barbato offered. But 'it's equally or more exciting to watch [sponsors] look at queens as viable and serious partners for their businesses.' These partnerships are key to drag businesses — everybody needs the Raven to their RuPaul. Kimchi Chic has found a great partner in Bespoke Beauty Brands, which has leveraged its founder's charisma on TikTok Shop to drive sales growth. CEO Tank said that founder Chi drives sales in part through 'megalives,' hourslong streams with product demonstrations and special guests. Founder Kim Chi drives sales in part through 'megalives,' hourslong streams with product demonstrations and special guests. (Courtesy) 'TikTok Shop was a game changer for us,' Tank said. The app is a hotbed of users in their teens, 20s and 30s who are perfectly targeted by the brand's accessibly priced products; the hero Stage Proof setting spray, she points out, is $16. Tank said this year, the brand intends to be even more disciplined with its capital, with the aim of reinvesting money in product development. 'Innovation is queen in beauty,' Tank said, adding that TikTok provides a live 24/7 focus group. 'We develop products and launch them, many of them, just off the back of TikTok Shop and TikTok feedback.' Audrey Napoleon, whose portfolio is called Gostrider Brands, tapped Mo Heart of 'Drag Race' to create Mo Beauty, which launched in 2021. Napoleon's background in the music industry left her with an affection for helping performers build viable second income streams, even if doing so extends beyond Gostrider's purview. Monique Heart, founder of Mo Beauty. (Courtesy) 'If Mo ever comes [to me] and she's like, 'Covergirl called me and said they're gonna give me X amount of dollars to do this,' we're saying, 'Girl, go do that.'' Napoleon said. You Better Work Napoleon's insight reveals an underside to the drag boom: Performers have become products too. Those with good partners can find footing, but many are going it alone. As the world's drag stage continues to crowd, it takes investment to stand out. Most queens revenue streams come primarily from club tips, though the 'Drag Race' universe has helped some access the opportunities of influencers and RuPaul-level celebrity. By contrast, a single pageant gown can cost a couple thousand dollars, to say nothing of wigs and jewellery. The expenses multiply for queens in the 'Drag Race' universe, many of whom are plucked from the club circuit but must arrive to their TV debuts with full, camera-ready wardrobes. Lexi Love, a long-limbed drag queen from Kentucky in the US and finalist on the most recent season of 'Drag Race,' took out a second mortgage to, as she put it to Pride Today's Ricky Cornish, 'gag you on these runways.' Love estimates she spends about $1,000 a month on makeup; not as an indulgence, but an occupational hazard. 'I can't go out with, like, Chapstick and mascara!' she cried. It's true that the beauty industry continues to offer meaningful support to the drag community. (While Love didn't take home the show's grand prize of $100,000, she was 'tipped' $10,000 by Anastasia Beverly Hills.) But there's room for more, and not just in the context of 'Drag Race' or the month of June. 'Drag is inherently entrepreneurial,' Bailey said. 'People put on a suit and go to work on Wall Street, drag queens puts on a wig and go to perform. Often, drag artists show a keener sense of innovation and a stronger intuition about their audience. They are sharp, and they are real leaders in the field.'
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Animation KPop Demon Hunters hits No. 1 on Netflix in 26 countries, tops 93 charts
Produced by Sony Pictures Animation, the film blends fast-paced action, fantasy and musical drama. PHOTO: NETFLIX/FACEBOOK Animation KPop Demon Hunters hits No. 1 on Netflix in 26 countries, tops 93 charts An animated film about a K-pop girl group that battles evil spirits is now one of Netflix's most-watched titles worldwide. KPop Demon Hunters , co-directed by Korean-American filmmaker Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, debuted June 20 and quickly topped Netflix's global chart, according to data from FlixPatrol. Between June 21 and 22, it held the No. 1 position globally, ranking first in 26 countries and landing in the Top 10 in 93. Viewership has been especially strong not only in Asia but also in the US, France and Germany. The film follows Huntrix, a K-pop trio whose concerts double as supernatural missions. On stage, they use music to maintain a magical barrier called the 'honmoon', which protects the human world from demonic forces. Their main rival is Gwi-ma, a spirit king who preys on human souls and sends demons to defeat the hunters in the form of a boy band, the Saja Boys. The voice cast includes major Korean stars. Actor Lee Byung-hun from Squid Game plays Gwi-ma, and actor-singer Ahn Hyo-seop voices Jinu, the leader of the Saja Boys. Produced by Sony Pictures Animation, the film blends fast-paced action, fantasy and musical drama. Although primarily in English, the film includes Korean dialogue and is packed with culturally specific details, from folklore creatures like 'dokkaebi' (Korean goblins) to everyday habits like visiting traditional medicine clinics and bathhouses. Audiences have embraced both the visual design and the music. K-pop producer Teddy contributed to the soundtrack, including Huntrix's Golden and Saja Boys' Soda Pop. Twice's Jeongyeon, Chaeyeong and Jihyo perform the film's opening number, Takedown, and MeloMance's Love, Maybe and Exo's Love Me Right play in their original Korean versions. Critics and viewers agree on the appeal of KPop Demon Hunters. As of June 24, it holds a 96 per cent critic score and 91 per cent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film's success reinforces Netflix's belief that 'great stories can resonate everywhere, regardless of language or culture', as Kim Min-young, head of Netflix's Asia-Pacific content division, said earlier this year. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Mint
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
‘K-Pop Demon Hunters' take over the world: Netflix's newest hit goes global, tops Netflix in 26 countries
Netflix's latest animated sensation, 'K-Pop Demon Hunters', is proving that magical girl groups can do far more than dominate the charts—they can save the world, too. Co-directed by Korean-American filmmaker Maggie Kang and Wish Dragon's Chris Appelhans, the series debuted on June 20 and quickly soared to global fame, topping Netflix's worldwide charts within 48 hours of release. According to data from FlixPatrol, the series claimed the No. 1 spot in 26 countries between June 21 and 22 and secured a place in the Top 10 in 93 nations. While its popularity in Asia was expected, the show has struck a chord with viewers across continents, enjoying breakout success in the US, UK, France, Germany, and India. Blending the high-octane glamour of K-pop with pulse-pounding supernatural action, 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' follows Huntrix, a fierce trio of idol stars whose concerts double as covert missions to protect humanity. Using music to maintain a mystical barrier known as the "honmoon," the trio battles demonic threats under the blinding lights of the stage. Their main adversary is Gwi-ma, a soul-devouring spirit king who sends evil in the form of a rival boy band, the Saja Boys. The series features a star-studded Korean voice cast, including Squid Game's Lee Byung-hun as the menacing Gwi-ma and singer-actor Ahn Hyo-seop as Jinu, the enigmatic leader of the Saja Boys. With its vibrant animation, catchy soundtrack, and seamless blend of pop culture and fantasy, K-Pop Demon Hunters has become more than a hit show—it's a global phenomenon. Fans around the world are already calling for sequels, merchandise, and even live concerts, proving that the fusion of K-pop and demon-slaying might just be the perfect pop culture storm.
Korea Herald
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Animation ‘K-pop Demon Hunters' hits No. 1 on Netflix in 26 countries, tops 93 charts
An animated film about a K-pop girl group that battles evil spirits is now one of Netflix's most-watched titles worldwide. "K-Pop Demon Hunters," co-directed by Korean-American filmmaker Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, debuted June 20 and quickly topped Netflix's global chart, according to data from FlixPatrol. Between June 21 and 22, it held the No. 1 position globally, ranking first in 26 countries and landing in the Top 10 in 93. Viewership has been especially strong not only in Asia but also in the US, France and Germany. The film follows Huntrix, a K-pop trio whose concerts double as supernatural missions. On stage, they use music to maintain a magical barrier called the "honmoon," which protects the human world from demonic forces. Their main rival is Gwi-ma, a spirit king who preys on human souls and sends demons to defeat the hunters in the form of a boy band, the Saja Boys. The voice cast includes major Korean stars. Actor Lee Byung-hun from "Squid Game" plays Gwi-ma, and actor-singer Ahn Hyo-seop voices Jinu, the leader of the Saja Boys. Produced by Sony Pictures Animation, the film blends fast-paced action, fantasy and musical drama. Although primarily in English, the film includes Korean dialogue and is packed with culturally specific details, from folklore creatures like "dokkaebi" (Korean goblins) to everyday habits like visiting traditional medicine clinics and bathhouses. Audiences have embraced both the visual design and the music. K-pop producer Teddy contributed to the soundtrack, including Huntrix's 'Golden' and Saja Boys' 'Soda Pop.' Twice's Jeongyeon, Chaeyeong and Jihyo perform the film's opening number, 'Takedown,' and MeloMance's 'Love, Maybe' and Exo's "Love Me Right" play in their original Korean versions. Critics and viewers agree on the appeal of "K-pop Demon Hunters." As of June 24, it holds a 96 percent critic score and 91 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film's success reinforces Netflix's belief that 'great stories can resonate everywhere, regardless of language or culture," as Kim Min-young, head of Netflix's Asia-Pacific content division, said earlier this year.
Korea Herald
4 days ago
- Korea Herald
Korean student posts her dramatic escape from Israel
YouTube video shows the college student escaping from Israel, as missiles seen flying from a distance A South Korean college student's video blog about her escape from Israel is garnering nationwide interest here, as it detailed how she barely managed to leave the conflict-ridden country. The female student in her 20s was first notified of the situation via a siren that blared at 3 a.m. on June 13, prompting an evacuation to a nearby shelter. "I initially thought the situation would resolve soon, but I heard the sirens again the next day," she said in the video, showing flying missiles that she witnessed from the window of her college dormitory. She was initially scheduled to leave Tel Aviv on June 16 on a plane headed to Paris, which she booked four months ago, but she found that the flight was cancelled. With over 100 missile alarms sent by the authorities piling up on her phone, she searched for a ticket on a flight out of Israel, only to find that the price had skyrocketed to at least 2.37 million won ($1,734) from the previous 816,785 won. With help from the Korean community in Israel and the South Korean embassy there, she received a text message from the embassy about a bus that will be leaving from the Pisgat Ze'ev center and headed to Jordan. From there, she would have to transfer at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and Doha, Qatar to get to the Incheon International Airport. Even as she was packing her suitcase, the siren rang and forced her and her friends to take refuge at a shelter. In Jordan, another Korean who abruptly left Israel while on a trip there told her that the only other route out of there would have cost $1,500, taking a ferry to Cyprus over 30 hours. He said he was about to buy the ticket when he received the text from the embassy. The student stayed for a day at a home of a Korean family in Jordan. The rest of the trip went without a hitch and she was welcomed by her father in Incheon, just before 6 p.m. on June 18, concluding her drawn-out exit from Israel that took five days. Koreans staying or living in Israel have escaped the country in light of the armed conflict that commenced on June 13. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Monday that 44 Koreans and one Korean-American had just arrived in Egypt from Israel on a bus provided by the government, the latest in the recent exodus from the middle-eastern country. On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump announced a complete ceasefire between Israel and Iran has been reached, ending the 12-day conflict that tore across the region.
