Drag Race’s Season 15 finalist, Mistress Isabelle Brooks, has revealed that she spent a whopping $100,000 on her Drag Race journey, with $40,000 alone on her finale looks. This news has reignited conversations around the high cost of drag and the potential financial burdens placed on Drag Race contestants.
For Mistress, the $100,000 investment was comprised of $60,000 in preparation for the competition and $40,000 on her finale looks alone. Season 15 had 16 queens, more than any other season in Drag Race history, which meant that each queen had to bring 14 runway looks, as well as numerous performance looks, and promotional looks. Despite the massive investment, Mistress was not crowned the winner, as the crown eventually went to trans icon Sasha Colby.
Mistress’s revelation has sparked conversations among fans and former contestants, with many calling for the producers to provide stipends and set limits on what can be spent to prevent contestants from incurring debts. Past contestants have also shared how much they spent on their season, with some revealing equally staggering amounts.
Icesis Couture, who won Canada’s Drag Race season two, spent $70,000 for her comeback stint on Canada’s Drag Race vs The World last year, while Drag Race UK vs The World winner Blu Hydrangea spent around £23,000 on her comeback season. Meanwhile, Gottmik shared that she spent $20,000 on season 13.
The high cost of drag has been an ongoing conversation within the Drag Race community, with some former contestants advocating for a set budget to be given to all contestants to prevent those with more money from having better runways automatically.
As the Drag Race phenomenon continues to grow, with numerous spin-offs and international versions, the question remains: is it worth the cost for these queens to invest such massive amounts in their appearance and performances, or should there be a more equitable approach to ensure that all contestants have an equal opportunity to showcase their talents?