Benjamin

Its official! @storiesfrommygaygrandparents has made its world premiere and all ten episodes are available to stream! Getting to design the costumes for this show for @the_j_stevens @perrievoss @thefarlsbarkley was such an incredible honour. It’s silly, it’s funny, it’s brilliant, and there is no shortage of beautiful heart to it all. I have too much to say about that experience and the way it changed so much of my life. I’m thankful every day for incredible friends to create with year-round and it’s not lost on me how fortunate I am to be a part of such a wonderful community. Designing this show and the experience of working on a queer production are things younger me never would have IMAGINED were possible and that’s so beautiful. Of course it was a lot of work and there were so many difficult things about that time but wow, I’m thankful for the opportunity to be a part of something so special.

There you have it, folks! Getting to dress @lucindamiu and @crystal.will.see.you.now for the finale of Season 2 of Sew Fierce was the perfect way to round out this experience and show the world why I won the first time around 😎 @crystal.will.see.you.now in a custom pearl hood, stoned corset with vinyl drape, arms braces and draped skirt @lucindamiu in a custom black velvet signature rhinestone catsuit with an appliquéd corset and train. What an insane honour to dress my Season 1 mentor and friend! What a beautiful dream come true getting to judge beside @evanclayton ! From admiring his beautiful work, to being judged by him, to now calling him a friend-it’s been such a gift and I feel so incredibly lucky. Congratulations to @justincasedance ! Welcome to that winner’s circle! I can’t wait to kick your ass in an All Stars season.🪡🪡🪡 Until next time…

Sew Fierce Season 2, Episode 7! With only one week left until the finale we’ve narrowed it down to our top three. I remember this point in the competition so well and being so driven to finish my season well. It’s now or never for these designers and if they want the title, they’re going to have to pry it from my cold, dead hands (trust me, next week I do my best to give them a run for their money 😎). It was an emotional week and although I thought I was done crying on international television, I’m a man built close to the water. Thank you @calypsocosmic and @that_dapper_d for everything you brought this season. Judging beside @tynomibanks was such a privilege. She’s so funny, so charismatic, and was such a great fresh point of view for us all! Thank you for the tissue. It was much needed! Stay tuned for the finale next week and congratulations to our top 3! @terrahcard @justincasedance @theblackbard

Sew Fierce Season 2, Episodes 5 and 6! Fetish and Prints! As always, my favourite part of this show is getting to know these designers! I love seeing how they arrived at a design, and understanding where they come from. Congratulations to @theblackbard and @that_dapper_d on joining that two-needle club and thank you for bringing your excellence to this runway. Having my friend, the insanely talented @hairbymarcandre join us on the panel was an absolute honour! It was great having Mic (of @luomostrano ) join us and bring such poise, grace and glamour to talk about prints! Photos by @justthedaisies yet again! Swipe through to the end for a little secret I got to share this week!

Sew Fierce week 4! Category is: Pageant. Apparently I did finger guns. What an honour to share the judges panel with @anaquway this week. Her grace, her expertise, her poise and her humour all brought such a light to this theme! It was so fun getting to laugh this week and be a little silly with her. As always, I’m so thankful for @crystal.will.see.you.now and @lucindamiu being the brilliant stars they are! The stories behind each of these designers is always my favourite. It was so beautiful to get to watch @terrahcard shine, to see @smother.theresa feel accomplished and to get taken on a journey by @that_dapper_d . Obviously I talked about rhinestones. Swipe to the end for a first in Sew Fierce history!

Sew Fierce Season Two Episode 3! 💛 I hope you’re not sick of this yet because there is LOTS more where this came from. Learning from @charcarbone this week was truly just a magical blessing. The way she critiqued and gave feedback was so comfortable and she was the most welcome addition to our panel as a guest judge. She’s just actually the coolest person. Getting to see @julia_starr__ ‘s work and heart was such an honour, and their style has been an inspiration to me over the last months since filming. Their work is so excellent, so meticulous and so incredibly precise. Also shocker, I talked about rhinestones again. On a personal note: It has been a long time since I saw a photo of me and felt like myself but @justthedaisies made me cry when I got these photos and recognized my smile. I am pretty silly, I have a lot of joy in my life, and I’m a pretty chronic optimist, so seeing some of that in these photos feels so refreshing.

Sew Fierce Season Two Episode Two! I remember competing on the first season so well. I remember calling the person who was my home after every elimination, I remember how much it meant to me to be there, I remember worrying that nothing I made would be liked, and I remember sweating through every deliberation. Sitting on the other side of the competition is difficult and our first elimination definitely hit close to home. There is heart and soul put into every one of the pieces that come down that runway so it’s difficult to critique. I’m so beyond proud of this group of designers and the space they occupy as artists. Seeing the joy and love of drag that comes from each of them (like @that_dapper_d ) is so inspiring. Also getting to see new techniques and learn from these designers was an amazing gift that I’ll never forget. Thank you @lindseronni for continuing to let me talk about ✨rhinestones✨ so graciously. Below are some Canadian drag designers (beyond the competition) I love for the next time you need some inspiration: @evanclayton @starkerscorsetry @miss_edieviolet @carrotscouture @raundism @_thesukidoll @madebymalmas @will.burgs

Sew Fierce Season 2, baby! I don’t want to spoil anything, so I will just say this: What an honour it is to judge this season and to have met these incredible designers. This season really felt special to be a part of and it was magical to have the chance to learn from, and interact with some familiar faces, and some new ones! I still can’t believe I get to sit on the judges panel with @crystal.will.see.you.now and @lucindamiu full-time this year! It’s truly wild to get to stand next to the incomparable @lucindamiu who was my mentor last season and who I look up to so much. My favourite part of the first runway was getting the chance to talk with @theblackbard about the journey of discovering his voice as a designer. It meant so much to be able to know him more and to see him create from a beautiful Terrence point of view. I’m so thrilled he’s back and showing the world what he’s made of. Also don’t you come for me like that @lindseronni

Gemstones-💎 Diamonds 💎 HERE IT IS! Creating this look for @legallyvenus for @canadasdragrace was such a labour of love. It’s six thousand hand sewn gems, and about ten thousand additional rhinestones, all on a black velvet catsuit with detachable silk lined mask. Thank you Venus for trusting me with this one! It was the challenge and opportunity of a life time. Venus was so incredibly gracious and kind throughout this process and I couldn’t have asked for a better partner in creating this piece! Fabric: @bluemoonfabrics Rhinestones: @blingonthechaosrhinestones Some progress shots, a rendering, some final edits! Enjoy!

♦️NEARAH ♦️ Category is: Gemstones-Ruby I broke the cardinal rule of drag race design and designed for two queens for one runway but when Nearah asked me if I would do her gemstones runway, I couldn’t say no. @nearahnuff for @canadasdragrace This crocodile embossed pvc suit is covered in thousands of hand sewn, or hand applied rhinestones and choupee gems. Helping Nearah with three looks in the first two episodes was such an honour. She represents Calgary so well and I’m excited to scream and cheer her on as the season continues! If you don’t yet know her, she’s a beautiful person, a kind artist and an insane performer! Fabric from @bluemoonfabrics Rhinestones from @blingonthechaosrhinestones Nails: @klawzbykota Hair: @wigsbyatlas Photographer: @vuksvision

Entrance Look: ⚔️@auroramatrix ⚔️ for @canadasdragrace Raise the roof! Making this Terracotta Warrior inspired look was such a process, but so worth it in the end! It’s couture grade beaded lace, pleated chiffon, lamb skin, and veg tan leather. It was just shy of a hundred hours of cutting, dyeing, painting, burnishing, embossing and aging all the tiles before attaching them to the corset base. Hair / @callherperla Earrings / @benjamintoner Nails / @funeralfacenails Photo / @_qweenton Assistance / @itsvangoth

Entrance Look: 🎀@nearahnuff 🎀for @canadasdragrace Getting to create this piece for Nearah was such a dream! It’s some beautiful Calgary representation with fifteen metres of fuschia satin, a quilted corset body with bias drape, giant covered bow, and detachable (as we now know) bow strings! I can’t wait to keep cheering on some of our Western Canadian contestants! Photos: @vuksvision Hait: @abeiyamiraj Jewels: @rubyhymen