{"id":49551,"date":"2025-05-15T04:22:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-15T03:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ket.brussels\/?p=49551"},"modified":"2025-05-13T09:32:43","modified_gmt":"2025-05-13T08:32:43","slug":"valenciaga-born-form-love-dressed-in-power","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ket.brussels\/en\/2025\/05\/15\/valenciaga-born-form-love-dressed-in-power\/","title":{"rendered":"Valenciaga – Born form love, dressed in power"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Brussels is well acquainted with queer creativity, but sometimes a voice emerges that leaves a lasting mark on the scene. That\u2019s Valenciaga<\/a>: drag performer, storyteller, and living proof that queer art can be both a mirror and a megaphone.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Valenciaga recalls being born in 2019, \u201ca little by accident and a lot out of love.<\/em>\u201d What began as nights out with friends-who would later become their drag collective-transformed into a space for expression, visibility, and transformation. \u201cGetting on stage was more than just a show. Drag gave me a language I couldn\u2019t find anywhere else.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From sold-out performances, like the one with Charli XCX at Ancienne Belgique<\/a>, to the spotlight of Drag Race Belgique<\/a>, Valenciaga\u2019s journey is filled with moments of grace and celebration. But beneath the glitter lies a path forged by perseverance, self-discovery, and the constant challenge of visibility in a world that often misunderstands non-binary and trans identities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cThe drag scene in Belgium is rich, alternative, and bursting with talent,\u201d Valenciaga explains. \u201cBut finding your place in it means constantly reinventing yourself-and learning to believe that your story is worth telling.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Their aesthetic? Vibrant glamour: \u201cIt\u2019s classic meets contemporary, camp meets haute couture, always with a political edge. Every look, even in silence, tells a story<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond the stage, Valenciaga dreams big and internationally. They\u2019re preparing for the Queen of the North Prelim Continental in Rotterdam<\/a>, aiming to participate in the legendary Miss Continental in Chicago. \u201cTo represent Belgian drag, and my trans and non-binary community, on that stage? That\u2019s not just a dream. That\u2019s a statement.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Valenciaga\u2019s art is rooted in beauty, but also in politics, especially in light of recent anti-drag and anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation in the United States<\/a>. \u201cDrag has always been political, even when it doesn\u2019t shout it,\u201d they say. \u201cToday, we can\u2019t just be \u2018pretty on stage.\u2019 We have to educate, resist, support.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a context where drag is under attack, Valenciaga uses performance as both resistance and refuge. \u201cMy art is a tool for empowerment. I\u2019m not just here to entertain. I want to offer recognition and joy to those who feel invisible or unsafe.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s also the purpose of Madame X, their artistic club night,<\/a> a tribute to both Madonna and John Singer Sargent\u2019s portrait. \u201cMadame X is more than a party: it\u2019s a love letter to our community. A space of freedom and full presence.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Valenciaga curates each event with care, inviting artists like Paula Ro\u00efd and Amanda Tears to create a living celebration of queer talent. \u201cThis isn\u2019t just a show-it\u2019s a laboratory, a platform, a home. I want Madame X to be a place where we support each other, surprise ourselves, and create something truly our own.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking ahead, Valenciaga sees the Belgian drag scene as part of a larger whole: a tapestry of queer voices across Europe, each thread strengthening the next. \u201cWe\u2019re a small country, but we\u2019re loud with love, creativity, and vision. The more bridges we build-between aesthetics, cultures, disciplines-the stronger we become.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Valenciaga\u2019s journey reminds us that our stories are valid, our spaces precious, and our art powerful enough to change the world, one performance at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their path hasn\u2019t always been paved with glitter and applause. Since 2019, Valenciaga has faced inner doubts, social pressures, and the ongoing need for self-affirmation. \u201cBelieving in your own story is already a radical act,\u201d they confide. \u201cIt\u2019s what keeps me going when the stage feels intimidating or when visibility feels like a double-edged sword.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their beginnings in drag were shaped by close friends who became chosen family. \u201cI didn\u2019t plan to become Valenciaga. It happened naturally, with people who loved and believed in me.<\/em>\u201d That support remains the foundation of their creativity, from local gigs to international ambitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n