The 5 Best High-Fashion References on "RuPaul's Drag Race"

In September 1998, fashion editors and glittering models stepped into a giant storage warehouse that usually held street cleaning trucks. It was the late genius Alexander McQueen's 13th collection, a spring/summer show that elevated a runway presentation into performance art thanks to its unforgettable finale. Shalom Harlow (and her incredible center of gravity) appeared on a spinning platform wearing a white paper poof of a dress, while paint-wielding robots suddenly sprung to life and spit graffiti all over the supermodel's dress. It was shocking, it was gorgeous, it was camp, it was everything.

The very first episode of the "RuPaul's Drag Race" season four pays homage to the iconic McQueen fashion moment. The "Rupocalypse" themed premiere included a photo challenge with Mike Ruiz photographing the queens getting hosed down with "toxic waste" neon paint by the nearly naked Pit Crew. While Shalom's supermodel spins were slightly steadier, no one can deny the ultra-fun camp factor of RuPaul's recreation, and the exceptionally high number of hose jokes.

In 2018, Sarah Paulson's acid green Prada gown made a splashy reception at the star-studded "Oceans 8" red carpet premiere. The dress was so mythically good, it made Rihanna furious that she wasn't the one wearing it. "I almost made you give me that dress on the spot," Rihanna told Paulson during an interview with The Cut. "I was staring at you, like, 'I am actually mad at this b*tch. Why is she wearing that?'"

For her sashay back into the werkroom for "All Stars" season 4, Trinity the Tuck kindly invited the rest of the queens to get on her level with a gasp-worthy homage to Paulson's acid green Prada gown. Arriving in a body bag labeled "toxic waste," Trinity unzipped herself to reveal the stellar Prada-ish gown. For Trinity's take, the neon gown was rendered in thousands of zip-ties, thanks to New York designer Casey Caldwell. It was the perfect balance of Trinity's signature brand: Part camp, all glamor.

Even better, Sarah Paulson's stylist, Kara Welch, gleefully expressed her love of Trinity's homage during an interview with Vogue. "I don't think there could possibly be a better homage to Ms. Prada and Sarah than Trinity's re-creation of what is probably my favorite dress of all time," Welch told Vogue. "Her creation with zip ties is epic, and the execution looks flawless. To me, this is the joy of fashion! What an honor!"

Thanks to their often-campy aesthetic, high fashion designers Viktor & Rolf are clear targets for referential homages from drag queens. Their fall/winter runway show in 2005 featured a look that was, quite honestly, 15 years ahead of its time. During the show, the duo sent a surreal, standing sleeping beauty down the runway, wearing a coat fashioned from a duvet and a pillow perched behind her head. To be quite honest, it's quite the perfect work-from-home look.

Viktor & Rolf's look was so high drama, glamorous, and camp, that not one, but three Ru dolls recreated it. Australian stunner Courtney Act wore a purple version of the outfit on season 6, All-Stars season 5 winner Shea Couleé wore her dreamy take for a cast interview, and season 12 winner Jaida Essence Hall wore her own version of the sleep-over fashion moment in season 12.

In 1990, Vivienne Westwood made an iconic move with her now-legendary Portrait Collection. The show was inspired by François Boucher's 18th-century painting "Daphnis and Chloe, Shepherd Watching a Sleeping Shepherdess." Westwood took the painting and digitally printed it on corsets, however these pieces were rendered in lycra and polyester — allowing a new level of liberation for the wearer of the traditionally confining garment.

Westwood's 1990 runway sent supermodels giggling and kissing down the runway wearing ropes of peals and velvets chokers along with the modern, digitally printed corsets. The entire show was so beautiful and impactful that most vintage dealers consider it the Holy Grail of fashion finds, with corsets from the collection selling up to $10,000.

Raja's legendary status was solidified in during the fifth episode of season 3 when she hit the main stage to a chorus of gasps, wearing an homage to Vivienne Westwood's iconic fall/winter 1990 Portrait collection. Raja's corset, leggings, and bra were digitally printed with rococo imagery, much like Westwood's collection.

Raja also styled herself like Westwood styled her '90s supermodels, dripping with pearls and 18th century-style makeup. Both the Westwood runway in 1990 and Raja's 2011 runway were sexy, cool, and opulent.

For Paris fashion week in 2018, Comme des Garçons brought a bright and joyful spring/summer collection down the runway. The overstuffed, oversize looks from the brilliant Rei Kawakubo included teased hair loaded with stuffed toys, heels made to look like high tops, and a particularly showstopping piece of manga couture.

Fast forward to 2020 when the absolutely gorgeous Rock M. Sakura stomped the runway with her version of Kawakubo's centerpiece. After the show, Sakura took to Instagram to assure us that, yes, the match was intentional. "When we were asked to do a spring themed runway I immediately thought of Macoto Takahashi's work that was featured in Comme De Garcons 2018 Spring-Summer collection. I have always been inspired by both fashion and manga art and it was the logical way for me to go."