ALRIGHT DARLING?

The Contemporary Drag Scene

Since its first inception as a Tumblr page, leading to a magazine, a book, then on to a podcast Alright Darling the brand has given me some fantastic experiences money can’t buy. Getting to hang out with Manila Luzon in downtown Los Angeles, getting wasted on vodka with Adore Delano, and spending a morning shopping in Cardiff Primark with Joe Black, Jinkx Monsoon and Michelle Visage. But, above all, it's allowed me to create friendships with a group of people that until relatively recently would have been laughed at and shunned by the mainstream for what they love doing. Drag has been propelled from being a sub-sector of the gay community into the main spotlight of today's zeitgeist. I'm proud to be part of and to document a scene that's beautiful and powerful, its strength doesn't come from dominance, oppression or conformity, but from love, happiness and inclusivity.

This book offers a glimpse into the contemporary drag scene with a mixture of styled portraits and candid backstage moments from some of the most recognisable faces of drag today.

TAKE A LOOK INSIDE

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IN THE PRESS

The Photographer Capturing the Superstars of Drag

The first drag performer that Greg Bailey photographed was Willam of RuPaul’s Drag Race fame. It was 2012, before Drag Race became a primetime sensation, and it was easy to send a Facebook message to a drag performer to schedule a shoot. Bailey, who is based in Brighton UK, did just that; they met in London while Willam was in town. Bailey recalled walking up to her hotel room. “[I was] unbelievably nervous, because it’s Willam,” he said. “She’s a self-proclaimed asshole.”

— By Michelle Santiago Cortes (2018)

Capturing the Contemporary Drag Scene

Drag isn’t just fabulous; it’s a political statement, and it makes you question your understanding of sexuality and gender. Once you think you have a grasp on what drag is, or start to see a pattern, it surprises you by reacting against that pattern. The world of drag is constantly evolving. It questions, it revolts, it does not conform, but it always welcomes you with a wink and a smile that says ‘Alright Darling?’.

— Excerpt from “‘Alright Darling?’ The contemporary drag scene”, featured in i-D (2018)