The denizens of Austin nightlife already know that Louisianna Purchase is a style icon. Now, the professional fashion world will get to soak up her spooky fantasy, and in a big way.
The local drag performer is set to walk in New York Fashion Week this fall, Louisianna tells the American-Statesman. Her strut will grace Sony Hall in midtown Manhattan as part of a show by Dallas-area designer Renacio.
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It should be a walk in the park (or rather, down the runway) for Louisianna: “I like to watch fashion shows on YouTube to relax,” she says. “It’s exciting to think I’ll be able to walk in one of them.”
An actual native of Texas’ neighbor to the east, Louisianna (who uses she/her pronouns in drag and prefers to use her stage name in public interviews) moved to Austin in 2011.
She first dipped her toes into drag in 2013, quickly becoming one of the most prominent local performers of the queer art form. Fans know her for a signature macabre sensibility, formed by a love of monster movies and old-school style. She’s been voted the best drag performer in town several times in Austin Chronicle’s annual Best of Austin reader poll.
Television came calling in 2019, when Louisianna starred as a contestant on the horror-drag reality show “The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula.” She made it far in the competition and became a fan favorite.
Louisianna followed that up by becoming the first drag queen to land on the Austin City Limits Music Festival lineup, as part of its pandemic-era virtual event in 2020. When ACL Fest returned in person last year, Louisianna hosted the event’s first drag revue in Zilker Park.
Now, it’s time to conquer couture in the Big Apple, even if this devil won’t be wearing Prada. Louisianna says she has experience on a fashion show catwalk, working with Renacio for an event in Dallas even before her turn on “Dragula.” That was a fantastic experience, she says. She said “absolutely” when Renacio hit her up about New York Fashion Week via Instagram DM.
She already was planning some drag shows for around the same time in New York with fellow “Dragula” contestant Maddelynn Hatter. After shuffling some schedules, Louisianna locked in for Fashion Week.
“I’ll have one full day off,” she says.
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Drag and fashion have long been intertwined. As the art form’s profile has risen in recent years (in large part due to the TV show “RuPaul’s Drag Race”), drag artists have found themselves walking international runways and appearing in major fashion publications.
Renacio, the fashion brand of designer Carlos Reyes, will present a collection titled “The Myth of Eris and the Resilient Unicorn” on Sept. 10 during Fashion Week.
Details are scarce for now, but Louisianna says she’ll likely model at least one fantastical look. “From what I’ve heard, it will be a beautiful and ethereal show,” she says.
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Like any good model, she’s prepared to showcase the garment. We mention that it would be great if famed fashion editor Anna Wintour sat in the front row during the show.
“I hope she’s paying attention,” Louisianna says. “Put me in Vogue.”
Where to see Louisianna Purchase
If you can’t make it to New York Fashion Week, you can catch Louisianna at her recurring drag shows in Austin, including Die Felicia at Elysium and Sad Girls Only at Swan Dive. She’ll also perform July 29 at Empire Control Room and Sept. 1 at the Ballroom, opening for Marissa Nadler. Keep an eye out for Louisianna during Austin Pride weekend, too. Follow instagram.com/louisiannapurchase to find out where she’s performing next.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin drag queen Louisianna Purchase to walk in New York Fashion Week