Madame Butterfly 1995 (2023)

Made by WORLD designers Francis Hooper and Denise L'Estrange-Corbet. Hair and makeup designed by Brent Lawler.

This dress was custom made as a one off.

Buckwheat and I were the first drag queens/Fa'afafine to ever appear on the runway in NZ in a major fashion event. It garnered a lot of press and the notoriety of putting two DQs on the runway paid off in terms of coverage.

This outfit signifies my long relationship with the fashion label, not just as a model but also in production, managing hair and make up for various shows in New Zealand and Australian fashion weeks.

The actual headdress was crafted from builders' foam which expanded when it hardened. At show time, when they went to place it on my head, they had to force it on with an almighty whack. I still have a hardened lump on my forehead from it.

'Madame Butterfly 1995' (2023) by Yuki Kihara.
Plastic doll, fabric and mixed media. 460mm (H) x 180mm (W).
Dolls created for BERTHA (2023) in Paradise Camp an exhibition by Yuki Kihara, curated by Natalie King. Commissioned by Powerhouse Museum, Sydney. Courtesy of Yuki Kihara and Milford Galleries, Aotearoa New Zealand. Photos: Gui Taccetti.