Without a doubt, drag is the most interesting art form. Where else can you watch an artist lip-sync dressed as a walking canvas, and then compete as a glamourous Whoville resident in a vogue winter ball? Hailing from the Newcastle scene, Sally Trademark is out to showcase just how the North does drag, a scene she believes is underrepresented in all formats of queer media.
Well, we at WERRRK aim to shine a brighter light on UK drag, so let’s begin with a very talented individual, one who can create everything from nothing and quite literally is a walking work of art who’s not afraid of a pop culture reference, and to top it all off, is incredibly talented at putting an outfit together. We talk about vogue balls, regaining her confidence, creative influences, and what the future holds for Sally Trademark.
Hi, Sally thank you for featuring on WERRRK.com, before we delve into the other questions let’s start with what sparked your interest in the art of drag? Was there a specific person who influenced you and made you become the drag artist you are today?
Sally Trademark: Hi Divarina, the pleasure’s all mine! WERRRK has been around since the dawn of queer networks and news, so it means a lot to be featured. Drag has always been a form of expression that pays homage to my niche interests as I grew up. A lot of my taste came from character designs in video games, from the sleek purple clad Nina Williams in Tekken 3 to trail hopping down BIG Mountain as Elise Riggs on SSX 3—it all culminated in Sims 3, as a pyromaniac flirtatious hothead of an NPC, and her generated name, Sally Trademark. Thus, this mess was born!
Your Instagram is akin to an art gallery for us, the visitors, to enjoy. Could you describe your creative process, and where you find the inspiration for your looks?
ST: Aw, thank you so much! I’m so humbled to hear that. I always aspire to have curated a lot of content that I truly enjoy making, getting into, and shooting!
Inspiration is so accessible now; we spend so much time on our phones, so a cop out would be to say Pinterest, but I love challenging myself by questioning what could be done. What can I get away with? How do I make a Primark bag look chic? Can I make myself look like I’ve stepped out of a shaded painting, or can I match a fabric print by painting it on my skin? Where is the end to the questions and challenges? I won’t ever know!
SALLY’s a character designer first and foremost, so I’m always sketching and drawing; a lot of my ideas fit on a fashion croquis before I start sourcing fabrics and patterns to make the stuff I want to do.
Talking of creativity, your Instagram reels highlight the steps you take when sewing and just how great your skills are in making wonderful outfits. How did you learn to sew?
ST: Sewing is so therapeutic. My mother and grandmother were incredibly talented, and I found so much interest in being able to construct something that had a function and a fashion to it. I started off with three patterns: a gown, a leotard, and a short dress. It’s an incredibly steep learning curve, so it took a lot of trial and error. But again, I think taking advantage of the accessibility we have to tutorials and guides helps so much.
Though it’s a tricky question to answer, from all the looks you’ve put together, which one would be your favourite and why?
ST: I loved piecing together my Halloween look for 2021. It was a bittersweet night; our first and only local girl [Choriza May] got eliminated from Drag Race UK, and the Throne Events’ tour was happening the next day. A lovely person in a very decadent suit said I looked gorgeous, and I didn’t know who it was until later. I then checked someone’s stories, and the lovely person in the very decadent suit was Joe Black. I think it’s my favourite look because all the elements came together, the pictures [by Haydn Brown Photography] came out incredible, and the night was also amazing. If I can remember all of these details still, I think it has to be up there.
You’re heavily involved in the Newcastle drag scene; how would you describe the scene up North?
ST: I think the North is severely underrepresented in all formats of queer media. We have some of the funniest, campiest, and most visually stimulating drag; we also have a lot of alternative, thought-provoking, and empowering drag. Newcastle is one place where there’s a story in every performance, and the experience is always different. Line-ups are always exciting because you don’t know what to expect, but we need more eyes on our scene because there’s such a raw perspective that isn’t showcased nearly as much as our sisters in other cities.
Speaking of the North, your look for heat 1 of UK Drag Idol was quite literally a walking piece of art. How long did it take to make such a fantastic outfit?
ST: Aw, thank you! Not my best moment, but I enjoyed putting together the costume. I give myself a week’s notice from conception to finalisation, but with creating it, usually 1-2 days!
Interestingly for someone so talented, you stated that “Failure is always a massive fear of mine and I never do a lot of competing because either way I am going to be too hard on myself.” Where do you find the confidence to shine on and off stage?
ST:I think the puncture hole in the ball is that I expect great things from myself constantly, but I try to downplay that to assure that people will like what I pull off. I really want people to like me, and competing essentially tags a number to your soul, so if you have a bad day or simply if a judge doesn’t like what you do, you’re up a creek without a paddle. I used to compete in a lot of online drag competitions, and I flubbed it the first time, landing in 11th place out of 12. I was so embarrassed, felt like my drag was so invalid, and just thought the world had ended. So, I just practised and practised and kept practising. I started to find confidence in how I presented myself through practice, slowly began to let go and be more myself, and found being humble and modest about what I could do was better for my ego in case it got bruised in pageants and competitions (laughs).
Proving your exceptional talent, you won the Curious Arts Winter Vogue Ball back in 2022, looking like you’d stepped right out of Whoville. What gave you the idea to design an out-of-the box outfit for the ball?
ST: So, the category was fantasy, with the theme of winter. I really love trying to find things and twist them on their heads. The Grinch is a go-to for anyone, and I sort of wanted to do this glamorous look with a Yeti-like twist. SALLY does the Grinch. I love the Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow colour palette, so I swapped green for yellow and made this velvet gown, which was super fun, and I adore fun!
From when you started drag to today, how do you think your design aesthetics have changed over your career?
ST: I think I’ve let go of influence and permitted guidance. “We see what you’re doing, maybe if you could try…” instead of following trends and trying to keep my finger on this pulse. I admit the drag aesthetic I’m curating is extremely difficult to do so in this climate, but I enjoy what I do! I hope I continue to gravitate towards more styles I just enjoy.
Who would you say are your five biggest artistic influences?
ST: I have always looked up to very creative people, I feel. When I started drag, I’d watch in awe of Acid Betty’s (@acidbetty) transformations on YouTube. Then speaking of transformations, The Villbergs (@thevillbergs) (neé DUOROW in 2016) were busy painting James St. James’ face on the WOWPresents YouTube channel. Then the NYX Face Awards around then introduced me to a legendary drag artist and someone I’d now consider a good friend, Gisele (@theothergisele), one of Manchester’s most creative and ingenuitive burlesque queens, who could rhinestone a paper bag and make it look so chic! In terms of my animation style, I feel like Lawrence Becker (@samplertimes) had me in a choke hold at university, and his felt animations had me always thinking of how I could use texture and material to tell stories. With art, I think Anais Gosslein (@agart_s) has always been one of my favourite artists. Her skills are so incredible and multi-faceted, and she has such a lovely and endearing personality!
As a creative, and being in the drag industry, what has been the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
ST: Treat those who you meet with love and respect when you climb the ladder of success, because you’ll hit them on the way back down.
What did you want to be when you were younger? And what do you think, younger, you would think of what you do today?
ST: Oddly, a little girl called Sophie. I guess SALLY is close; it has an S in it—a white girl’s name, right? I think my younger self wanted to be an animator, but I have that. I used to be in a lot of school play-leading roles, and I used to love performing a lot. My dad gets a pet name from me being the “tinsel” in The Bossy Christmas Fairy. I think he’d be proud of me. It was probably a bit twisty that it took that long to get where I am, but hey, we are all on a journey at different speeds.
What does 2024 have in store for Sally Trademark?
ST: I’m producing, directing, and preparing for the future! I’ve been providing visuals for Choriza again, animating her lyric videos for her new EP launching this spring, lots of fun productions, and perhaps a potentially exciting little opportunity for a one-woman show! You’ll have to just follow me on Instagram to find out what I’m up to (@sally.trademark). BYE WERRRK.dot com, and I hope you all have a great day.
Follow Sally on the following social medias:
Instagram: sally.trademark
