At the Blonds, the most beautiful moments of the whole show happen before it starts.

Yeah, the overt plot is the ferocious runway collection, but the subplot, the high-voltage one, is the people who show up. Case in point: Kayvon Zand who said, “It’s a coyote skull on the top of my head, and there’s a crown obviously, bone, metal everything. I think I’m wearing all the minerals on my head right now.” You can see why the arrivals at the Blonds are the more exceptional spectacle that gives way to another, less off the rails, fashion show. And Christ on a cracker, these people go all out, concentrating on things like the tulle, cuffs, wild cat fur, pasties, gold headgear, bedazzled bras, and capes. If they share anything, it’s a rejection of the idea that you should dress like anyone else. Lady Bunny put it best: “We come for sparkle, razzle, dazzle and basically everything that a drag queen would want to steal from a Chinese jewelry store.”

And oh how they talk about the looks. When they lean into the voice recorder and tell me about what they went for, they’re all free of any of the attitude you’d find at any other show. Scroll down to allow the most exciting attendees explain the inspiration behind their looks.

Lady Bunny
“I am wearing a mini mumu with sapphire tulles to accessorize it. It is a bold print, which we big girls can pull off with ease. They might dwarf a more petite heffer that would be better suited for the diminutive florals of Laura Ashley. But we don’t come to the Blonds for that. We come for sparkle, razzle dazzle and basically everything that a drag queen would want to steal from a Chinese jewelry store. I wore slightly lower heels so I could be a bit springier because I had on these six-inch heels. I said, ‘screw that.’ You need to enjoy this. You’re not on the runway. That’s only if you have to trot out for a few feet. Then you work those. You don’t claw over here in those. I would be so depleted by the time I got here. I had a really huge wig that was coming off. I’m like, ‘no you don’t want to sit there in that.’ The New York Times just said fashion shows are no fun anymore like they were in the ’90s when Lady Bunny and Christian Slater [were there] so I said, let me come out there and be fun and show that New York City is still here and support the Blonds for being kooky and wacky… maybe not upscale like Chanel, but that’s boring anyway. Honey, if you’re going to spend a fortune on something it had better sparkle.”

Kenny Kenny
“Well I’m inspired by Bao Haus and Da Da, and I’m an avant garde performance artist and I do videos of myself and photograph myself before I leave the house. They’re basically movement with Mozart backwards and they’re inspired by the spirit worlds and inspired by how I’m feeling at the moment after I dress and just my inner self, really. It’s a combination of everything actually. The apron is inspired by ancient culture, and this is actually from Lao. It’s a broken necklace and everything else is little bits from all over the world that I’ve made for my body. I love everything that I’m wearing for different reasons. I love that I got Gucci shoes on sale, and they’re deco and I’m combining them with ethnic bits and pieces. I basically designed the hat and the face piece so that’s always special for me because I like to feel like I own my outfit, own it as in made it and designed it. It’s very Dada really.”[On getting around in this getup] It’s just hard to get there. Cabs don’t pick me up anymore. [On whether or not they’re in touch with spirits] “I’m very aware that we’re not alone.”

Kayvon Zand and Anna Evans

Kayvon Zand
“Well I’m feeling very gold obviously, but you know I usually wear black, as you may have seen. I don’t know, I just felt very regal, but I wanted go a bit lighter so I thought gold would be an awesome color. I love capes. I kind of sweep the floor when I walk too so it’s good for venues. They appreciate that. It’s nice to wear my hair down for once. I usually wear it up. It’s a coyote skull on the top of my head, and there’s a crown obviously, bone, metal everything. I think I’m wearing all the minerals on my head right now. This is comfortable for me. I’ve already been through so much shit. Black is very slimming. I like that about black. I’ve always liked black because it’s chic, it’s mysterious, and I love black and white together in general. I love Tim Burton, and I’ve got a little goth in me. Black will be always be one of those colors I’ll never let go.”

Anna Evans
“I mean, I just think my butt look really cute today. I think this is really cute. Some days you’re like, ‘oh I really need the fishnets, like the dance tights.’ Today I was like, no. It’s not that day. I want my toes to be comfy. I’m really into these updos lately. I went through a really heavy wig phase when I only wore wigs for a couple of years, and now I’m only doing my real hair a lot. I think it’s really rewarding. I’ve been doing Kayvon’s hair for awhile. I have really long hair, and it’s nice to actually wear it. I like these lashes because they’re really lightweight. They’re synthetic, which is nice because you don’t have to add a lot to it. I have blonde eyelashes which is kind of a bummer. Jesus was not looking out there. I just like to do my lashes first and then do my makeup on my way out the door, possibly in my elevator depending on how late I’m running. I have done it in the car before, but I try not to be that girl. I run late is what I’m saying. I do my lipstick in the car. I do more hair and not as much face. I try to look like a drag queen, but I can’t. I try.”

William Noguchi
“Well you know. I love anything sparkly. I love a good bolero, and who doesn’t like something high-waisted? So put all three together, and call it the Blonds, and it’s a good sign right? [how does William eat?] Carefully, and slowly. [on the studs] They’re honestly very comfortable, but it’s all proportioned out so it’s good. You know I’m never really sure, and then you put it together and you’re like ‘no that’s awful!’ and then you put it together differently, and you’re like ‘yep there she is.’ You just got to play the game. [on lashes] Well, OK. Another rule, just add more. Always rule of thumb, just add more. So I put the first pair on, and I was like you know what? It’s so quotidien, you know. Let’s do two.”

Dylan Monroe
“It’s a vintage 1930s negligee that I found. I’m big on vintage so there’s so many places that I find in the city where I find cool unique pieces like this. It’s two pieces. It’s a wild cat, but it’s a piece that I’ve been meaning to wear and they’re both from the same period. Oh God I just love furs, it’s amazing and I only buy vintage fur. I just love vintage Chanel. It takes two hours to get ready.”

Joy Villa
“So I’m wearing a mix of everything that you can find. The boots are Frye. The tights I got on Hollywood Boulevard. I’m from Hollywood, Los Angeles. The tutu is from Hollywood Boulevard, and this is a belly dancer costume that’s vintage as well as a vintage corset. I love to dance and sing and I’m a professional singer so this is what I love to do. If you saw me on the Grammy’s on the red carpet I wore a recycled dress, the orange material, so I’m always wearing something crazy because it’s my personality. It’s the Blonds, of course you have to dress fabulous. You have to dress like you’re ready to put on a show at cabaret. You have to look ultra sexy, ultra glam and ultra confident. Sexy comes from confidence. Body confidence no matter what your size, no matter what you look like. It’s about being uniquely yourself and representing your aesthetic the way you want to, communicating ‘I am here. I’m not going anywhere.’ That’s sexiness.”

Amanda Lepore
“It’s from my friend Antonia’s and Spain. [perfume] Vivienne Westwood. I kind of just put together. I like to match things.”

Cardi B
“Well you know I wanted to do a little hippie look, you know what I’m saying, keeping it groovy. The whole outfit is from Patricia Fields. It’s new. I feel pretty precious. I feel very nice. It fits my body. You know what? In New York City? They don’t really sell these beautiful pasties like this. I have big breasts, and I wanted to do something to put them out there, and I saw these and I was like, ‘these are the ones.'”

Barbie Beach and Leogugu

Barbie Beach
“This outfit is completely thrifted. It cost literally less than $10, minus the purse. I really wanted to tell a red story. I really wanted to be free with a nice silk, which is amazing so I feel comfortable. I’m not too hot. This is my normal makeup. I just kind of extended my eyeliner for tonight. The nails are also a statement. They go with the hair and the outfit.”

Leo Gugu
“I got inspired by a hood rocker chick going to prom. I’m wearing a full-length sequin gown with this studded bedazzled jacket by my friend Tom Tom and a backwards snapback. It’s kind of goofy, kind of sparkly. I’m wearing a gown with sneakers so it’s just for shits and giggles, just for fun. It’s a full jacket and the back is all done and everything, just a punk sequin piece. I call it hood girl goes to prom.”

Sherry Baroness von Korber-Bernstein
“I’m wearing a vintage hat from a man who was very famous years ago, and he made many many hats years ago. [custom for you?] Just for me, yes. And everyone loves them including me and the rest of me is just things that I’ve purchased when I’ve been out.”

All photos and reporting by Ashley Hoffman