Here's what Chad Michaels thinks of 'Drag Race's Cher runway looks
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Cher-ing is caring!
— (@)
The fourth episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 16 included an “RDR Live!” sketch comedy challenge that was followed by a fabulous “Everything Every-Cher All At Once” runway theme.
Similar to past popstar-themed runway categories — “Night of 1000 Madonnas” in season 8, “Favorite Gaga Look” in season 9, and “Night of 1000 Beyoncés” in season 15 — this category was all about bringing your best Cher look and impressing the judging panel. This week, the panel included Buffy the Vampire Slayer herself, Sarah Michelle Gellar, as a guest judge.
But with so many amazing looks displayed on the runway, as well as a hilarious Kermit the Frog-like Cher impression from Mhi’ya Iman LePaige, we couldn’t help but wonder what the No. 1 Cher tribute artist in the world, RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 1 winner Chad Michaels, thought about this episode dedicated to her supreme pop diva.
“Overall, LOVED IT,” Chad tells Out. “The designers clearly worked very hard and their efforts were fully realized!!!” The All Stars 1 champion then shared a few “hot takes” and reactions to the queens’ Cher looks on Drag Race season 16 — including her favorite look on the runway!
Scroll through to read what Chad Michaels thinks of the Cher runway looks in episode 4 of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 16 — and keep tuning in for new episodes every Friday on MTV!
Sapphira Cristál
Chad Michaels thinks that “Sapphira Cristál did the ‘Woman’s World’ opener costume the justice it has always deserved.”
Sapphira Cristál’s runway look referenced Cher’s third Las Vegas residency, Classic Cher, which premiered in 2017. The opening number of Classic Cher featured the singer wearing this Bob Mackie-designed costume while performing the banger “Woman’s World.”
On Feb. 21, 2017, Bob Mackie himself wrote a blog post on his website commenting on the Classic Cher residency, “which opened last week to a giddy Las Vegas crowd of 5,000 in the Park Theater at the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino.”
Per Instagram, Sapphira shared the following credits for her Cher runway look: bodysuit by Morgan Wells Drag Closet (@morgan.wells.37), headpiece and shoulder piece by Edith Poussard (@edithwigglesandgiggles), nails by Nirvana Noire (@nirvana.noire), and hair by Sapphira herself.
Megami
Another Cher look that stood out was Megami’s. In fact, Chad Michaels notes that it was “very accurate.”
Megami walked the runway with a legendary outfit that Cher wore in the music video for “If I Could Turn Back Time” from her 1989 album Heart of Stone. At the time, this fishnet body stocking under a one-piece bathing suit was considered very controversial due to how much it exposed Cher’s body. MTV reportedly banned this music video from airing on television at first, but later started airing it after 9pm.
On Instagram, Megami credited Sam Branman (@tenyardsclothing) for this Cher look and Maddelynn Hatter (@theonlymadd) for the hair.
Plasma
Plasma won the “RDR Live!” maxi challenge and also received rave critiques from the judges for her Cher runway look. Chad certainly agrees, calling Plasma’s Cher look “exquisite.”
Bob Mackie created this outfit for Cher to wear at the 1985 Met Gala. The theme of that year’s Met Gala was “Costumes of Royal India.” In a report for The New York Times, fashion critic Bernadine Morris noted that the 1985 Met Gala included “theatrical personalities, including Cher with Bob Mackie, the designer,” who “added to the glitter of the evening.”
Garo Sparo (@garosparo), a designer who finished as a finalist on Project Runway season 17, created this “custom, Mackie-inspired black velvet, crystal, and beaded Cher look” for Plasma to wear on Drag Race.
Plane Jane
When it comes to Plane Jane’s Cher gown, Chad Michaels only has one thing to say: “Plane Jane was DRIPPING.”
Cher attended the 1974 Met Gala in this outfit, which was another Bob Mackie creation. In a report for Vogue in 2017, fashion news director Brooke Bobb wrote that “Mackie attended the 1974 Met Gala with Cher on his arm dressed in what is perhaps one of the most famous naked dresses of all time: a sheer beaded gown with white feathered sleeves and a white feathered skirt. Nearly everything was visible, including Cher’s nipples — no pasties then either.” This dress was only worn by Cher again a year later, in 1975, when she graced the cover of Time magazine.
Jane wrote on Instagram that this Bob Mackie-inspired gown was “immaculately crafted” by Monique Vee (@vee.monique) and Raul Barrera (@redaggio). Moreover, Binx (@thatsbinx) was credited for working on Jane’s hair.
Q
MTV/Paramount/World of Wonder
“Q was my favorite,” Chad Michaels tells Out. “Stunning black-and-white Mackie!”
Cher wore this feathered headdress and black-and-white ensemble during a 1973 episode of The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour on CBS. In a story about Cher’s fashion legacy, Christopher Barnard wrote for Vanity Fair that Cher “engaged designer Bob Mackie to work exclusively with her on all of her costumes for the show’s four-year run. The designer’s fluency with feathers, beading, and irrepressible theatricality produced some of Cher’s most iconic looks — and caught the attention of the CBS Standards Department. Navel-flaunting was still risqué for 70s family prime time.”
Q also took the time to share with Out the credits for her Cher runway look. “My runway package was pretty much split between my drag mother and I,” Q notes. This Cher outfit was by her drag mother, Mulan Gabby (@gbcouture1), with headpiece and stoning by Glittah Gal (@missglittahgal).
Mhi’ya Iman LePaige
— (@)
Episode 4 also featured a hilarious moment of Mhi’ya Iman LePaige delivering a Kermit the Frog-like impersonation of Cher on the main stage, which had RuPaul, the judges, and the other queens laughing out loud.
“So, Mhi’ya Iman LePaige is very young, and I wouldn’t really expect her to have a vocal Cher impersonation on deck,” Chad Michaels tells Out, “but bless her heart anyway.”
Well, the Queens of Flips herself has seized the moment and is now selling “I’m grrrreat!” merch to her fans. That’s how you do it on Drag Race, girlies!
