Born and raised in South Shields, Sally has been doing drag for 10 years, and says she is taking part in the show to "represent all of those Geordie queens who are ingenuities, creative, a bit clowny, and a bit kooky."
Sally’s 'queen of your hometown' look was camp, clever, and unapologetically regional. Designed by Misty Couture, the dress transformed the new fleet Metro’s recognisable yellow into high fashion.
“The dress was entirely inspired by the new Metro trains,” Sally explained, describing it as a “tribute to something which has been so instrumental and iconic in the story of our region.” With its sharp lines and bold colour, the look channelled what she called “retro futurism”, reimagining the Metro’s history as the first modern light rail system in the UK, and the iconic vision of the sleek new trains.
Lynne Dickinson, Station Delivery Manager for Nexus, the team behind the Metro, stated “we’re thrilled that Metro’s iconic yellow livery had provided such inspiration. We’re over the moon that Sally was inspired by the new Metro trains with her dress for RuPaul’s Drag Race. When we heard about this, we thought it was fantastic that the famous yellow of the Metro was going to be part of such a massive show, and we have Sally to thank for that.” For Nexus, Sally’s tribute wasn’t just a fashion statement, but also a reflection of their values: “supporting diversity and inclusion is at the heart of what we do.”
...finding beauty and boldness in the ordinary and turning it into something extraordinary.
The North East’s LGBTQ+ scene has always been built on creativity and humour. By taking something as everyday as a Metro carriage and transforming it into couture, Sally has proved that queer culture here is about finding beauty and boldness in the ordinary and turning it into something extraordinary.