La Grande Dame. (BBC/World of Wonder)
La Grande Dame has opened up about her ‘showmance’ with fellow Drag Race UK vs the World finalist, Tia Kofi, and preparing for the competition with Jean Paul Gaultier.
One of four incredible queens to reach the final of the sophomore season of Drag Race UK vs the World, La Grande Dame (the season’s only representative from Drag Race France) has proven that she and her runway walk is a force to be reckoned with.
With a cool track record of two wins, including one RuPeter Badge, La Grande Dame will appear alongside fellow competitors Marina Summers, Hannah Conda and Tia Kofi in the finale’s reunion and lipsync smackdown for the crown this evening (29 March).
Speaking to PinkNews with Drag Race Phillipines’ Marina, LGD has shared the guidance that Drag Race France host Nicky Doll and legendary designer Jean Paul Gaultier gave her to prepare for the season – and clarified where her showmance with Tia stands.
Speaking on the showmance – a storyline that has permeated the entire season – La Grande Dame had a suitably coy answer for someone trying not to outright deny something.
“My English accent is getting bigger,” she jokes with typical French humour. “It is getting sharper.”
When pressed, she reveals that Grande Kofi fans (note: official couple name still pending) may be disappointed.
“You know, TV situations are made for TV! And if you want to see more of us, you have to book us on TV. You know, we can do it for the camera.”
La Grande Dame – often referred to by her cast mates as ‘Dada’ – has been the undisputed runway queen of the season, with lewks ranging from an evil alien queen, to a supermodel relieving herself on the runway, to a mutant wedding dress, and even an outfit styled by Jean-Paul Gaultier himself.
The process to come up with these designs, LGD shares, is all a collaboration.
“I’m always looking for the craziest idea, and if I find one that is kind of crazy, I’m going to make sure that I get into the craziest aspect of it still,” she says. “I have to acknowledge that I’m surrounded by very creative people… and whenever I get a spark of an idea, they’re always here to make it pop.
“It’s what I do, I have always created. That’s all I know how to do. Honestly, if it wasn’t for this, I don’t know what I would do.”
One episode’s nautical-themed runway saw the queen strut in a custom Jean Paul Gaultier look, and La Grande Dame reveals that she was with the designer the day before speaking to PinkNews.
“He hadn’t seen the runway yet so I got to show him,” she says. “And he was like, ‘Oh my God, that’s great! You made it so good.’ It was just a few hours ago, and I’m really pleased at that moment.”
Jean Paul Gaultier, it turns out, can be credited with a lot more than that one outfit, La Grande Dame explains.
“He was the one that gave me my first big break in France before Drag Race. He just validated all my work in fashion. He was the one that allowed a drag queen to be around other people who didn’t really understand it. He made it valid and he made people respect me for what it was. So I’m forever grateful to Jean Paul.”
As the first queen from Drag Race France to appear on an All Stars franchise – and one judged by RuPaul – La Grande Dame has explained that being the representation for French queer fans has helped her find her own sense of pride.
Explaining her situation when she received the call, she says, “I was with [RuPaul’s Drag Race alum and Drag Race France host] Nicky Doll in New York, and I definitely felt like I needed to do [well] for myself and for the country.
“And the response to [my run] has been amazing. The best part of the whole experience for me was to find some sort patriotism. In queer spaces [in France], politics has let us down quite a lot as a community, and seeing very young, queer people [supporting me], it meant the world.”
She adds: “It was very heartwarming to know that it was because of me, seeing young people being proud of their country. It was quite special.”
The finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs the World season two airs at 9pm on Friday (29 March) on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer.