Of all the Queens that have graced* RuPaul’s Drag Race* runway few could rival 2015’s Series Seven winner Violet Chachki. If we’re all in agreement that watching the queens cut, glue, sew and stitch their way into their showstopping runway outfits is the highlight of the show, then Violet was the obvious winner. Some drag stars are natural born tailors, others natural born hot gluers. Violet is a master (or should that be mistress) of sickening couture, which helped keep her away from the Lip Sync For Your Life elimination round! Week in week out, she brought Dita Von Teese levels of glamour and Naomi Campbell scales of sass.
Though raised strictly Catholic, Atlanta-born Violet, whose birth name is Jason Dardo, derived her surname from the Yiddish word ‘tchotchke’, which refers to an ornamental object. Maybe, she was thinking of her own personal beauty when she came up with that one? Here’s everything you’ve ever wondered about this drag superstar…
What is Violet Chachki's real name?
Ah well, Violet Chachki is Jason Dardo's stage name.
When is Violet Chachki's birthday?
According to trusty old Google, Violet's date of birth is 13 June 1992 which makes her a Gemini.
Violet Chachki's outfits
Chachki’s very first runway outfit completely sealed her position as winner - who can forget the moment she undid the belt on her fabulous black sequinned jumpsuit and Sailor Moon-spun into a caped tartan dream girl?
NO ONE, I TELL YOU. That made GIF history. Some major fan favourites include an incredible latex Hello Kitty costume that would fit right into a Barbie dream, as well as a leather and lace dominatrix look (she does a makeup tutorial here) complete with a mouth gag.It’s tempting to list every single one of her outfits, but you can check out a compilation of them here. The glamazon continued to impress throughout the show with her superb technical skills, as well as her teeny tiny 18-inch waist.
Wait, what is Violet Chachki's waist size?
Yup, you read that right - Chachki is an avid waist-training advocate and told *Wussy Magazine *that although she had always loved exaggerated silhouettes, it wasn’t till 2013 when she started waist-training seriously, swapping “cheap plastic boning” for “a big girl corset”.
In a runway challenge with the theme ‘Death Becomes Her’, Chachki cinched in her waist in a seriously hot lingerie number paired with an oxygen mask, making guest judge Ariana Grande gasp in awe. And damn, she made it look so easy.
Who is Violet Chachki's drag inspiration?
Burlesque is probably the closest performing art to her drag style, and to cement her influence in the industry, Chachki joined burlesque legend Dita Von Teese’s show ‘The Art of the Teese’ in Chicago, Dallas, and Houston in January this year.
Teese was a huge fan of Chachki’s, cheering her on on Twitter during the last few episodes of Series 7, so it was only a matter of time before the queens united.
Chachki also told Galore Magazine: ‘I draw a lot of inspiration from different time periods. I just love glamour so any time period that had a lot of excess and glamour, I draw inspiration from. All the stuff from the 60s and 70s, very specific times in the 80s. I just take inspiration from anything that visually stimulates me.”
Violet Chachki's makeup
Yes, we’ll be eternally jealous of her perfectly-shaped red lip and killer eyeliner. Chachki doesn’t have any collaborations with any makeup brands at the moment, but she very recently took part in US makeup brand Sleek’s GLOWDOWN challenge with beauty vlogger Kristen Leanne - and obviously blew Leanne out of the water (partly because she’s much more skilled at it, and partly because Leanne wouldn’t stop talking for the duration of the challenge).
Chachki told Allure Magazine that her interest in makeup stemmed from playing with her sister’s and mother’s makeup, but started getting seriously into it once her talent started earning some dollar. Drag makeup, in particular, is 'not about transformation, it’s about glamour.' She added: 'It’s about creating an idealised version of yourself or an idealised version of a part of yourself.'
What’s Violet Chachki's Instagram?
You can find her at @violetchachki. That said, on all her platforms, be it Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook, Chachki serves up extra glam and glitz - but she’s also vocal about LGBT rights once in a while. As someone who identifies as genderqueer, Chachki uses her platform to shine a torch on the issues she's passionate about, particularly trans rights. The day after US President Donald Trump tweeted that he would reinstate a ban on trans people serving in the US military, Chachki posted this on Instagram:
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.