This Campy, Queer Designer is Chicago Drag's Best Kept Secret

Rising from Chicago's queer underground, Eda Yorulmazoglu is the city's best kept secret among the most fashion-forward nightlife performers, from Imp Queen to Abhijeet Rane. Her costumey work transcends the confines of human and introduces new otherworldy characters with each collection, featuring colorful, sculptural silhouettes that look like oversized plushies lifted from a child's bedroom. Deeply imaginative, Yorulmazoglu's work naturally aligns with drag culture, especially those who're more concerned with being provocateurs than perfectly polished queens.

The Turkish designer's Clem's Revenge collection stars a lineup of characters who've all gathered together to mourn the loss of a loved one. There's the Healer, the Hero, the Youngling, the Licker, the Fert and the Crying Mother, collectively conceived by "Clem," who represents the designer's mission to rewrite her grandfather's death as a more accurate reflection of his joyful life. Each character embodies a member in Yorulmazoglu's real family, which she created to give them all an opportunity to say goodbye one last time--a mournful metaphor, but one she executed to feel decidedly optimistic and tongue-in-cheek.

Keep clicking to see the full Clem's Revenge lookbook, with an original set by Yorulmazoglu:

Photography: Michael Chase McNicholas