Dylan Kepp remembers exactly how it felt when they saw their design on national television for the first time.
“It was incredible. It was something I didn’t think would ever happen. And when I finally had the opportunity, I was like “This is amazing” […] And it was very cathartic to be like, “I may not be there physically, but my work is present”.
It was episode seven of the sixteenth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, when Philly native drag queen Sapphira Cristal walked the runway as an expansive flower petal, surrounded by shades of red, white and yellow.
Kepp tells the story of when they were hosting an episode viewing party, and they weren’t sure if it was the one with their design. But it was, and Kepp told the crowd: “Yeah, by the way, I made that”. The group was astonished.
The look also received praise from the judges, with Michelle Visage calling it a “masterpiece”: “It’s very carnival, but it’s just so beautiful”.
Kepp says the design took the longest out of anything else they’ve ever done. They also only had about four weeks to complete it, on top of doing separate projects for other people. It took over 20 hours to design it.
“The only thing that wasn’t cool about it was you have so much downtime, when you make it and when it’s seen. They obviously film like a year beforehand, so you’re basically sitting and waiting for it to happen, and it’s very hard to keep a secret that big”.
Kepp has a few inspirations when thinking up designs for themselves and others.
“One of the biggest things for me is music. I will dream up an outfit to go with it, a vibe or something like that. And textiles is huge for me, too. So if I find a fabric that I really like, those are my two big things to go to. But it can literally be anything. It can be a [Lady] Gaga music video, pretty much anything”.
In terms of fabrics to work with, Kepp’s favorites include sequins and satins. They work primarily with spandex because it’s a material that works well with different body types. It’s the best kind to make clients feel their best and appreciated in whatever size they are.
“I love the finish of things, specifically this material called Peau de soie. It’s a thicker base satin that holds shape really well. And satin is not easy to work with, so when you do it well, you really feel that satisfaction”.
The cost of drag varies from performer to performer, but the majority of the items are not cheap. From makeup, to shoes, to fabrics, every little thing adds up. Custom wigs and gowns are especially expensive.
It was the death of their father while in college that catapulted them into the creation of their drag persona, Iris Spectre.
“It was an escape from who Dylan was. Dylan got to be on the back burner because I got to transform into what I’ve always wanted to be, or whatever I wanted to be. I kind of created a separation between the two”.
Growing up, Kepp was always a creative person. They loved watching Threadbanger, a DIY and crafting YouTube channel run by Rob Czar and Corinne Leigh. It ultimately led to asking for a sewing machine for Christmas. Since then, Kepp has never stopped designing.
“It just sucked me in immediately. I was like “This is amazing”. And that inspired me. I’ve always wanted to make clothes and do this kind of thing, very imaginative in that way, and I was never able to do it. And then I had this cheat sheet”.
In high school, when their father was battling addiction, Kepp says it was an emotional and crazy time in their life. Originally from Springfield, a township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Kepp knew they needed an escape: Parsons School of Design in New York City.
“And that’s why I think I was like: “I need to get out of here, I need to get away from home, I need to get away from this”. That’s where drag and everything else came in, because at the end of the day, that’s my truth, that’s what happened, and that’s what I was dealing with at the time. And there was no healthy, organic way to do the grieving process for me. Even for my family, nobody knew how to cope with everything”.
For Kepp, New York City could provide an escape only for so long. Freshman year of college is when their dad passed, which threw a wrench in everything, they say. Then, in junior year, their mom enters rehab, and they move back home. Their grandparents lend money for Kepp to buy a car and get a job. It’s this period when they channel their creativity through drag, creating Iris Spectre. But their family was not accepting of it.
“They were like, “Either you go or Iris goes” and I said “Bye!”. I contacted my friend Ben and he offered [to live with him]. He was like “Hey, come live in Delaware with me”. And we were already working karaoke together […] So I lived there for a while, then we decided to move into the city [Philadelphia] in 2017”.
And Kepp has been in Philadelphia ever since, performing in bars and clubs as Iris Spectre.
Those who have worked with Kepp, such as local drag performer Bev, say that Kepp is easy to work with when making designs.
“I work with people, Iris, and others, who are very open to my ideas. For example, one of the big things she made for me was a gown based on the character Roz from Monsters Incorporated. The big slug lady, the supervisor. And we wanted to take the essence of the character, but also make it draggy, make it functional. It was for a competition I was doing where it was called Outrageous Evening Gown so it needed to be over the top and that process was very collaborative”.
Bev says Kepp’s hard work and dedication make them likable.
“You get to have longevity through having the talent to back up your personality, and having the personality that someone wants to work with and have represent them”.
Bev says that drag performers know who they mesh with and don’t mesh within the community over time.
“You quickly just realize who you can rely on and those you see working together a lot and commissioning each other for outfits and commissioning each other for wigs and giving each other opportunities through bookings is because we’ve established relationships with those people enough to trust them”.
Frankie, a burlesque performer whose stage name is Bear Trap, and also Kepps’s partner of seven years, describes the creative process of designing outfits for performances.
“She’ll talk to me about the realistic things of where the outfit goes, what actually works when it comes to putting fabrics together. And then we figure out what it’s going to look like. We’ll sketch it out, and then we’ll start making it. And sometimes I’m involved in that making process. I’ll be making one piece while she makes another, but for the most part, she has all of the more skill than I do in that realm”.
Kepp says their job is a fulfilling one. They especially love when people see one of their designs and immediately ask who created it.
“Watching different artists use what I interpret and bringing it to life, or putting it to music, or putting it to a concept, or having a reveal, things like that. I love love love that”.
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