How is wallpaper like drag for your walls? We, at Detroit Wallpaper Company, think a room with four white walls is not only a blank canvas, but an invitation to show who we truly are with whom we share our spaces. The revamp of a bland room into a captivating space is just a fantasy away, and when it comes to transforming the ordinary to the extraordinary, look no further than the ultimate practitioners of such metamorphosis: drag artists.

 

The art form of drag is broad and expansive in its definition, as are the personal motivations and inspirations behind each practitioner. While the stereotypical archetype is a person who identifies as male creating a feminine drag queen persona, donning an enormous wig, fabulous gown, and sky-high heels to perform, the reality is the expression of drag is as varied and idiosyncratic as the artists who express their vision through the medium. Despite this variation, one aspect is consistent: the art of drag is transformative, inside and out.

 

As a drag artist steps into their look, they step outside their everyday persona. The performer’s attitude is enhanced by an elevated sense of confidence, becoming a bolder and braver version of themself. They arrive with saucier stride and sharper level of humor, and we the viewers are star struck by these talented and engaging kings and queens who eschew tradition and show us that a more magical version of ourselves is accessible; that an outward transformation can unleash a grander and more majestic being that is hidden just beneath the surface of us all, should we choose to reveal it.

 

As wallpaper designers, we are inspired by drag artists who are so unapologetically and fabulously themselves, and by extension hope we can encourage our clients to be emboldened, and to fearlessly decorate their spaces with the same bravery and individuality that drag performers possess. Too often when we consult with clients, they are bogged down with social referencing, diminishing their taste and desired aesthetic by worrying what their friends or family may think about their design choices.

 

The art and spirit of drag is harmless for the entire family, and so is transforming your home with show stopping wallpaper that refuses to fade into the background. Drag is a creative act of defiance, born from an urge for uncompromised self-expression. We can all benefit from letting the art of drag inspire us to be more brave, more unique, and more comfortable to show our true selves than we could have ever imagined.

 

We'd like to thank drag artist Bentley James for lending their creativity for these images. They designed and sewed this gown using fabric printed with our Lush - White pattern.