Joey Arias: The Drag Artist Talks Beauty, Bowie, and the Three Things Every Woman Needs

When asked to describe the chanteuse that is Joey Arias, the cabaret legend herself (or himself—deciding upon a pronoun poses a challenge) can sum it up it one word: seductive. Unlike many of the contestants on RuPaul’s Drag Race, Arias understands the art of “simplicity in makeup.” And when she uses the word simplicity, she doesn’t necessarily mean a dash of powder and lip balm (although that’s perfectly acceptable for day or a wedding). For stage, she contours (the last step of her maquillage method) but doesn’t take it as far as your regular drag queen. “I don’t put on any white and brown,” the two pigments typically employed to carve out cheekbones. Arias doesn’t do anything “clown-y,” either, although she would if it meant “getting paid.” Longtime collaborator Thierry Mugler gave the performer a piece of advice that still resonates, which Arias recalled during our interview: “If you’re going to do your own thing, just [put on a] black bra and panties. Don’t start putting all this shit on yourself. No pinks and greens and fluff and feathers. Please don’t do that!” With her perfectly articulated arches, razor-sharp liquid liner, and impeccable red lips, she’s like a forties film star, citing women like Joan Crawford and Marlene Dietrich as icons. Here, Arias shares some of her best beauty tips and how she continues the magic after the makeup comes off.

—Amber Kallor

The scene: Cabaret lounge-meets-museum. Irving Plaza in Union Square is transformed by MAC Cosmetics to pay homage to Arias—with some of her most memorable ensembles on display, along with her new film directed by Mugler, Z Chromosome. A series of makeup wipes—some reminiscent of the Rorschach test—are also encased in glass in the middle of the room.

Can I first ask you about these makeup wipes? Was it your idea to turn them into art?

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It started as a joke years ago. I think it started in Berlin. But it wasn’t until I did Cirque du Soleil Zumanity [Arias was the Las Vegas show's emcee for five years] that I was rushing to get out of the theater—after, like, two shows, I’d throw the wipe on the table and of course they would lay there, and I’d leave and come back and see these wipes and I’d think, Huh, what am I doing here? This is kind of something! So I started saving them and I’ve got probably like two or three thousand wipes now from Cirque du Soleil.

So you’ve been saving them since you hit the stage in Vegas?

Since 2003. Every time I do a show, we do the wipes. My partner, Juano Diaz, is a painter from Scotland. He had an art show in New York about two years ago. It was his art, and people wanted to meet him. And he asked me if I could throw up a little section of some art with him. Because, you know, I went to art school and everything. Juano, he got them and actually framed [the wipes] floating on glass…I had about ten of them among his paintings. I had a row, and it said, “MAC Wipes: Create Your Own Art.”

Is there a technique to how you take off your makeup?

It all depends on how you feel that night when you’re taking your makeup off. It might be a little aggressive or it might be gentle. Sometimes it’s like a rush. It all depends on how I want the eyes to come out, or do I want them to look like more of a mask, or do I want them to marry each other, do I want them to be more abstract like two people kissing or something from outer space? It all depends on how I rub the wipe. People are just blown away.

So what are your go-to MAC products that eventually end up on the wipes?

Well, the MAC wipes, for damn sure! I like their lipsticks and their shadows. All the shadows. I don’t really try too many colors because there’s a certain scheme. I’m not really always like, “Pink lips!” I’m a brand already, so I’ve got to stick to a look. In this video [Z Chromosome], I stretched out and did some different things—I was very Cirque du Soleil. Mugler wanted me to put red glitter on. That was for fun.

Which red are you wearing in the film?

It’s Russian Red with some black liner, and then I put the red glitter dust [on top].

Is the black for depth?

Yes, to give it a shape.

What’s the best beauty trick you ever learned?

One of the most beautiful makeup artists I’ve ever met is Mathu Andersen, who does all of RuPaul’s makeup, and he’s taught me a few tricks…Maybe only four or five makeup artists have [ever] done my makeup, but just the simplicity of makeup and shadowing—it takes time. You can’t rush. Keep it natural.

So you don’t necessarily contour like a Kardashian. What’s your technique?

Look at my cheekbones and just [see] how I want my face to move. On RuPaul’s Drag Race they put white. I just put a little base on, very light, and get a sponge and kind of wipe it off, and then powder to set everything down. Then I draw the eyes, eyebrows, lashes, lips, and then contour. Contour is last.

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So Mugler suggests keeping it simple with just a black bra and panties. Is that all a girl needs?

Just a black bra and panties! And stockings. That’s it. Gotta keep it elegant, gotta keep it, as Mugler says, “Classy, classic, and cheap.”

What does your nighttime beauty routine entail?

Well, it all depends. If I’m going to do shows, I have to pace myself. And usually the shows I do now are about eight or nine, so it’s like, prepare, relax, gym, e-mails, feed our little dog Grumble, take a bath, start looking for an outfit, and then get ready.

How long does it take you to apply your makeup?

It could be anywhere from fifteen minutes to three hours.

What about taking it off?

That part takes about three seconds.

At least you’ve found a way to make your hard work stand the test of time with your wipe art. So what is the craziest, best night out you’ve ever had?

My craziest, best night out ever? I’ve got so many of them! But I would say in Paris, with Mugler, having dinner. There were about ten people—I’m not going to say the names. Mugler said, “We’re going to have dinner with Iman and her husband.” And I was kind of like, “OK!” And we were all there and all of a sudden they walked in, and I’m like, “Duh! David Bowie!” I sang with him on Saturday Night Live, so we saw each other a couple of times very briefly. He walked in and he had not seen me [since] I transformed, started dressing up, and we sat there for hours—hours—screaming and laughing, having the best time. It was amazing. And then we walked through Paris and David put his arm around me and said, “You really blossomed so beautifully. I’m so proud of you. You just moved on.” He said, “I wish you looked like this when we did Saturday Night Live!” He probably wouldn’t have worked with me if I did that! We were laughing.

What were you wearing that night?

Oh, I was wearing a Mugler suit. Elegant. Very chic. Nothing crazy.

You recently got married—what kind of makeup did you wear on your wedding day?

Seriously, I wore just a powder.

No lashes or anything?

No, no. I just put powder on. Because it was daytime—it was like 7 in the morning. I just wore a black suit and powder…And beautiful black glasses—they’re called mantaray, so they looked very alien.

So no need even for mascara.

No, honey. You put the lashes on when you have a business meeting because that’s when you mean business.

David Beckham's Bandana Diaries

There was a lot for fashion fans to appreciate in last night’s BBC1 David Beckham Brazil travelogue Into The Unknown.

First, the footage of Victoria, pristine in a black sweater with white Wednesday Addams collar, anxious about the humidity that her husband would soon encounter. “What are you going to do about your hair?” she asked, adding: “I don’t even go to humid countries because of my hair … you should wear a hat through the whole thing.”

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Sure enough, Beckham wore a selection of chapeaus in Brazil, from baseball caps to wide-brimmed straw hats. But really, it was all about his bandanas. Beckham’s bandanas were black and red and blue; they were hair bands, neckerchiefs and accessories, wrapped tightly around wrists and draped handsomely out of jeans pockets. Sometimes, he wore two bandanas at once.

Given that much of Beckham’s trip was spent riding a motorbike, his bandanas were practical, sure, but Brand Beckham knows its fashion motifs and cannot help deploying them, even in the Amazon jungle. According to US GQ, Bandanas are “this season’s undisputed soft accessory”, as seen on the spring/summer 2014 catwalk of Louis Vuitton, where the scarves were used as neck-ties and as an inspiration for printed trainers.

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Prior to Louis Vuitton, bandanas have been a slow-burning street trend, popping up on twentysomething celebrities for a couple of years. Justin Bieber, for example, ties his at the front of his head, in the style of Tupac Shakur, while One Direction’s most fashion-forward heartthrob, Harry Styles, wears his as a Keith Richards-style headband. As the existence of many “how to tie a bandana like a gangster” YouTube tutorials attests, for some young men – often the posh ones, it must be said – the 2014 bandana has become popular partly because of its gangland connotations. Perhaps this is why the classic rock Axl Rose bandana – worn wide, across the forehead, over long, poker-straight hair – has yet to be revived. But as the 1990s comeback continues, whether we like it or not, it is probably only a matter of time. Whether you see bandanas as a worry, a fashion statement or a simple piece of biker practicality, they are definitely back. Spot them on sweaty young heads this festival season.

Festival Beauty: Hair and Makeup Ideas for Governors Ball

Cross the artist lineup from Coachella with an island in the East River and wildly unpredictable weather and you get Governors Ball. Taking place this weekend on Randall's Island in New York City, it's the music festival for city slickers who don't have flowers to wear in their hair and wouldn't dream of sleeping under the stars. This year, it's going to be 80 degrees and sunny, which means you'll need SPF, sunglasses, and a sweatproof beauty look.

Hair. This mohawk-braid-ponytail hybrid (above) does double-duty: It keeps your hair out of your face all day without falling apart, and it makes you look cooler than everyone else. Here's how to do it:

1. Spray a dry shampoo or texturizing spray all over dry hair to bulk it up as much as possible.

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2. Gather the center four inches of hair at the hairline and tease it, then secure it into a pompadour with bobby pins.

3. Starting with the hair right behind the pompadour, begin braiding an upside-down French braid, crossing pieces under one another rather than over so the braid sticks up as high as possible. As you add sections of hair from the sides of your head, make sure to pull them tight.

4. You can braid down to the nape of your neck if you have shorter hair (or if your arms are starting to cramp) or go all the way to the end. Secure with an elastic and mist with hair spray.

Makeup. Putting on foundation in humid weather always feels a little gross, but Allure editors swear by Shiseido UV Protective Compact Foundation SPF 36 and Eau Thermale Avène High Protection Tinted Compact SPF 50 for sticky summer days. They provide light coverage with a matte finish and are small enough to fit in your pocket for touch-ups. And since music festivals are as much about the music as they are about getting photographed—and cool street-style girls always have bold lips—you want a lipstick that won't end up all over your face but doesn't feel dry and tight, either. Too Faced Melted Liquified Long Wear Lipstick in Melted Ruby is a classic, bright red that won't compete with your badass hair.

Pedicure. Birkenstocks are back, and all the fashion-y girls are wearing them in silver. If you're wearing 'em, manicurist April Foreman recommends choosing a cool tone for your pedicure polish. "Gray, blue, and violet look best with silver," she says. Her pick: Essie in Parka Perfect.

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Mel Ottenberg and Adam Selman Talk Rihanna’s Scandalous CFDA Look

“It’s so naked,” said Mel Ottenberg while en route to the CFDA Awards with Rihanna, the 2014 Fashion Icon of the Year. “I don’t know if it’s shocking—I’m with her all the time, so my shock gauge is off, but I told her that I thought she was ready for this dress a while ago, and that I wasn’t. I’m the prude, and I’m just catching up.”

Naturally, Ottenberg was referring to RiRi’s translucent CFDA gown—a fishnet number smattered with more than 230,000 Swarovski crystals. Designed by the star’s collaborator (and Ottenberg’s boyfriend), Adam Selman, the look leaves little to the imagination. So if Instagram explodes tonight, it’s Rihanna’s fault. “We definitely wanted to make it a little bit scandalous,” Selman told right after the chanteuse walked out the door. “The dress is just fishnet and crystals and a couple of fingers crossed. But fashion is about beauty, and the [female] body is part of that.”

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“So many people didn’t sleep last night,” admitted Ottenberg. “I would say at least eight people worked nonstop from 8 p.m. last night to 3 p.m. today putting on the finishing touches.” Equal parts Deco showgirl and Hollywood glam, the gown was conceived last month in L.A., while Selman and Ottenberg were dressing Rihanna for the MTV Movie Awards. “We started talking about it, and I sketched it shortly after,” said Selman, noting it was a heavily collaborative process. In fact, the matching do-rag was all Rih’s idea. “It brings such a Rihanna feel to the whole thing,” said Selman. “It seals the deal.” Selman’s initial sketches of the outfit debut exclusively here.

Further accessorized with a pink Pologeorgis fur stole, Manolo Blahnik heels, a ring and earrings by Paul Morelli, and a pinky ring by Jacob, the look is decidedly less tame than what we’re used to seeing at the CFDAs. Gasps and whispers no doubt echoed throughout Alice Tully Hall. But did you really expect the pop princess—who was recently banned from Instagram for her nip-pics—to turn up in a standard DVF wrap dress?

Seeing as Rihanna’s every move is photographed ad nauseam, one would imagine that designers were chomping at the bit to dress her for the Oscars of fashion. So why did she go with Selman? “We wanted to do an American designer, and he was just the right choice,” explained Ottenberg. “He’s worked so closely with us, and so hard for us. He’s turned it out for her so many times, and we were excited to do this with him.”

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Selman, who has not only crafted custom tour costumes for Rihanna since 2011 but also co-designed her River Island capsule, was touched by the choice. “She could have had any designer make any dress, so for me it’s an exciting statement that she chose to wear me on such a big night of fashion. She has really put me in the spotlight.” Selman won’t be attending the ceremony with Mme. Rih (“I’m having a cocktail instead,” he laughed), but he’ll be meeting up with the singer for dinner to celebrate their sartorial coup.

“I did this look for her so she’d have a good time,” offered Ottenberg when asked what he was going for. “This was the perfect night do to something fun, and I wanted her to have something great that you couldn’t find anywhere else in the world.” To that point, it’s doubtful that anyone else on the planet could have pulled off the ensemble—which, for the record, I’d have to say she did. “She’s daring, she’s bold, and she’s not afraid of fashion. She doesn’t let fashion overcome her,” said Selman of the Bad Gal’s icon status. “She embraces it and makes everything she puts on her own. Not many people do that.”

Taroni and Abraxas Rex's Line of Scarves Gives Documentary Film a Stylish New Medium

It isn’t easy to inherit a centuries-old family business, even when that business is creating some of the most beautiful silk known to man. Max Canepa is the twelfth generation of his family to take the reins at Taroni, one of the oldest silk-weaving mills in Como, Italy (and one of the famed suppliers for Dior, Giambattista Valli, Saint Laurent, Valentino, and Schiaparelli—ever the luxury disciple, even Kanye West picked up some threads there while working on his own collection a few seasons back), and is determined to bring the 1880-founded factory firmly into the here and now. Enter artist and renaissance man Paris Kain, whose company, Abraxas Rex, has collaborated with Alexander Wang and Calvin Klein, and is known for its one-off productions of painstakingly painted kimonos; chunky, covetable jewelry; and innovative fashion films. The two came together to film Opus Industrionica, a kaleidoscopic acid-trip of a take on the mechanical production that goes into creating a ream of silk, replete with mesmerizing close-ups on the fifties German shuttle looms humming away, set to a score composed by Kain. Stills taken from the short movie were printed onto light silk and cashmere blend Taroni scarves (a blend that Canepa spent six months developing at his factory).

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The final result? When worn, the scarves’ very literal illustrations become anything but. Marigold-color metal railings and slate blue machinery artfully twist and mimic dreamlike abstractions: the patterns found on the wings of a monarch butterfly, lights reflected on a wet city street, streaks of fresh paint. “There’s so many possibilities with this company, I think we’re just starting to scratch the surface,” says Canepa. With the Victoria and Albert Museum including Taroni in its current celebration of Italian fashion (on until July 27), we can’t wait to see what’s next.

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Becoming a hair powder junkie

Like almost everyone, my hair started getting oily when I was in my early teens.

But unlike all the other bad stuff that often comes with puberty, it hasn't gone away.

Back then, the only sure-fire way of "degreasing" was lacing my hairbrush with Johnson's Baby Powder and brushing it through. It worked, but it also left white powder all over my hair and scalp that was impossible to disguise.

Fast forward 20-plus years and every major hair company has at least one dry shampoo in its line-up.

Most are designed to not only remove the oil but also leave hair shiny and smelling like it's been freshly washed.

But while we may be spoilt for choice in terms of options, what I've discovered is that they don't all do a great job.

Some still leave a thick, white powder on your hair (especially noticeable on brunettes) and some just don't get rid of the oil.

Batiste, one of the original dry shampoos on the market, overcame the white powder problem by adding a hint of colour into some of its products. This is the reason the Batiste Dry Shampoo, $17, is still one of my favourites.

The basic principle of these products hasn't changed much since those early baby-powder days, but the application

method has.

Most dry shampoos are now in aerosol form, which means you can spray them directly onto the roots and quickly brush or massage them through to remove the oil.

The often-overlooked added advantage of a good dry shampoo is that it not only refreshes dayold hair, it will also add extra volume and texture. In fact, I'm so accustomed to the extra boost these products give my fine hair that I use them every day - even on freshly washed hair.

A new-found favourite is Davines Hair Refresher, $30. It includes "odour neutralising molecules", and is great if you don't want a fragranced product.

Pureology Fresh Approach Dry Shampoo, $37.50, is another goodie and is specifically designed to prevent

colour-treated hair from fading.

I've had some great results with Schwarzkopf Professional OSIS+ Refresh Dust, $29.40, and also rate Fudge Dry Shampoo, $22.50, but it does require a little more brushing after applying the product to remove any visible powder.

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“RuPaul Is Kind of the Ultimate Supermodel,” and More Musings From Parsons Honoree Jason Wu

With his Hugo Boss debut and thriving eponymous line, Jason Wu is having a banner year. So it comes as little surprise that the 31-year-old Taiwanese-Canadian designer is picking up the top honor at Parsons’ 2014 Fashion Benefit, which is set for tomorrow evening. Ahead of the festivities, Wu, who’s both a Parsons alum and—fun fact—a former toy designer, took time away from wrapping his forthcoming Resort collection to speak with Style about his secrets to success, New York fashion’s changing landscape, and his obsession with RuPaul.

—Katharine K. Zarrella

Congratulations on the Parsons honor. Considering you studied at the school, do you feel you’ve come full circle?

I’ve kind of come full circle because I moved here in 2001 for my first year at Parsons. So it’s nice to go back and be a part of this new generation of the school, which has taught me a lot and done so much for me. It’s a very nice honor and I’m very proud. But I don’t think I’ve made it—at all. I think I’ve hit a nice moment in my career and it feels great to have your peers and people in your industry acknowledge your work. But that’s not to say that there’s not much more work to do.

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Between your debut at Hugo Boss, the success of your own line, and now this award, it seems that you’ve really hit your stride this year.

I don’t know. I always think there’s more to do, so I never think I’ve hit my stride. I always want more and want to do more, but certainly I think it’s been a great year so far, having done two shows in New York for the first time, and then getting this award. I guess that comes with age and experience and just doing it for a while. And I guess I’m getting a little better at it.

Do people look at you differently now that you’ve become the big man at Boss?

I don’t know if I’ve knocked it out of the park yet, but I think we had a really successful first show and I guess people look at me a little more like a grown-up, a big person.

Do you feel like a grown-up?

Yeah, I feel a little older. I guess that means grown-up. Definitely achier.

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Your Boss show was quite the star-studded event, and Jennifer Lawrence just wore a gown from your Fall collection to the world premiere of X-Men: Days of Future Past. What role does celebrity dressing play in a designer’s success?

Having people you admire wear your clothes in a very public way is inspiring, and it’s also a great way to get your work out there. It’s a great form of advertising. But for me it’s always about quality, not quantity, and it’s about dressing the few girls that I love. I’ve always been very loyal to Diane Kruger, Reese Witherspoon, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Kerry Washington—those are girls I dress over and over and over again. And you really develop a rapport and a friendship and a relationship. It goes back to the days when Givenchy and Audrey Hepburn, and Catherine Deneuve and Yves Saint Laurent, had those relationships that went [beyond commerciality]. Those were true relationships. It’s great to continue that tradition.

Can a young designer make it these days without a celebrity bump?

Everyone does it differently. There are some people who make clothes that are more appropriate for a red carpet and there are some people who don’t. I’m not sure if it’s a do-or-die situation, but you do have to seek exposure in your own way, in a way that’s right for your brand.

How did you come to dress Jennifer Lawrence for her X-Men premiere? Was that a big moment for you?

Yeah. Actually, we just found out [the day before]. I had no idea. I think there’s something so incredibly human about her. That’s why people love her so much—she’s so relatable. She shows a little imperfection—which we all have—and still looks stunning.

You mentioned that people like seeing imperfection in public figures. With that in mind, people seem to like you a lot. What’s your imperfection?

My imperfection is that I’m not as perfect as people seem to think I am. There’s a sense of controlled, sophisticated ideas in my clothes that are quite neat, and I think people sometimes think I’m that, but I’m not.

Are you messy?

I’m actually not messy. I’m terrible at waking up early. I’m terrible at a lot of things. I’m terrible at technology—anything computer-oriented. And I’m terrible at making anything on time, which I’m really working on. Actually, at Parsons, I was always really late, and you can’t be late at Parsons. You really get into trouble.

You, along with Alexander Wang, Prabal Gurung, Joseph Altuzarra, etc., are part of New York’s new guard. How do you think the creative climate here is changing?

Right now, New York fashion week is at its best. We have the most young talent [succeeding] at the same time for the first time in a long, long while, and this is the first time that we’ve really been acknowledged on an international level in a long time. That has to do with the fact that our generation’s outlook is global, rather than local. If you look at Style, you can read that anywhere in the world. That certainly helps. Having that kind of recognition all over the world is something that is quite rare. We’re experiencing something of a moment, a movement.

Why is that, do you think?

It is, in so many ways, New York’s time. All [of the young designers] in New York come from different international backgrounds. I think that’s a very nice representation of what New York fashion is about—it’s about diversity; it’s about fresh ideas; it’s about making its own statement, because we don’t have the hundreds of years of history. We’re really still, as a whole, quite new at it.

Do you remember how you felt when you were designing your Parsons graduate collection?

It’s so funny because I went to Parsons and my major was menswear, yet I make the most fit-and-flare dresses you could possibly imagine. I guess after going to the very masculine side, I felt like I was much more comfortable in the very feminine side, and eventually the combination of the two became my work as we know it today.

Why were you initially drawn to menswear?

I always liked the idea of tailoring. I always felt making a jacket was the most difficult thing, and it is still the most difficult. Sometimes the cleanest things with the least amount of details are the most intricate.

What do fashion students need to know that isn’t necessarily taught in school?

It’s that the fashion industry isn’t by-the-books. It’s not about following one specific route, it’s about paving your own way and making it your own. That’s what makes fashion interesting—individual visions—and not one person breaks through in the same way. We all get into it slightly differently—I worked in toys first.

Speaking of toys, I read that back in the day, you did a RuPaul doll?

I worked with RuPaul once! It was a long time ago. We made a RuPaul doll and it was wildly successful and that’s how I met him. Of course, RuPaul’s Drag Race is my favorite show ever. It’s like the best show on television. RuPaul is kind of the ultimate supermodel, and I have an obsession with supermodels.

Does your former life as a toy designer ever inform your fashion designs?

Attention to detail is what links my work as a toy designer and a fashion designer. Most people say I went from dressing toy dolls to real dolls. That’s kind of the press-y version of it. But in actuality, I did everything from designing the sculptural form of the dolls to the industrialization of the molds to the manufacturing. I always knew how to create a really good product, and I think that experience primed me for this industry.

How important has business savvy been to your success?

The balance between creativity and business-savvy is something that every young designer needs to be aware of, because it’s the reality of our industry. Having that balance is something that my generation of New York designers really thinks about.

What is your advice to fashion students who want to be the next Jason Wu?

I don’t know if they do want to be the next Jason Wu! But my advice is seize every opportunity and work hard. It sounds so obvious to say that, but the glamour of the industry can get distracting sometimes, and at the end of the day it’s about the work. I work weekends all the time—there’s no such thing as overtime for me because my own time is overtime. And I don’t have any vacations, so cancel those family plans.