I am:

I’m Miss Kola Gin. I come from Hawke’s Bay and I’m Ngāti Rongomaiwahine. I have been doing drag for over 35 years and I still haven’t got it right! I’ve graced many stages, both nationally and internationally.

My relationship with fashion is:

Fashion to my drag persona is extremely important. It's how I express my identity and my roots, my vibrant energy. It’s essential because it helps me connect with my audience and communicate my personality and stories that I want to tell on stage. And each outfit is a celebration of who I am and where I've come from.

Putting together an outfit / inspiration:

When someone sees me, I want them to feel the joy and the pride of my culture and my identity. My choices tell the story of a party girl. Old Hollywood glam, I like to call it. But it's also a celebration of life and an honour to my heritage. So blending traditional elements and contemporary styles to create something uniquely me. And I think drag allows you to do that.

A lot has changed over the years with fashion and drag. Back in the day outfits were constructed from the ground up. Now things have become more accessible regarding pulling an outfit together. So while, at the moment I don't do a lot of sewing and construction, I think it's just as important to know what goes well with other things and pulling a look together.

My drag mother actually said it's important to have a finish on all of your outfits. Whether that be gloves, earrings, necklaces and making sure they are clean. I think Kola is a collection of many different girls. I tend to go back to a lot of past girls that once did drag, but that's where I get a lot of inspiration from.

But I also like the old Hollywood glam pinup girls. I think that some of my Māori heritage has brought a lot of deeper colours. Landscapes play a huge role in aesthetics – all the natural fibres.

Drag fashion has definitely evolved and it's come a long way. Now accessibility of materials has improved, it allows you to be more creative and do more. I do my approach by experimenting more with the local traditional elements and blending them a fresh perspective.

The moment I complete my look, I feel fabulous. Amazing. Energetic. Magical. I feel the rush of the transformation because once you put that on, you're unstoppable. And it's almost like stepping into a different realm and being possessed by a glamazon.

When I’m not in drag:

Fashion in my everyday life is important, and it's important when you're out in drag as well… Fashion for me is a form of art. It's a way to connect deeply with myself and the world around me, and I think it's fabulous.

Portrait by Denise Baynham, 2025.

Audio engineering by Finn Hopley.
Video by Rochelle Ivanson.

Last published January 2026.

This exhibition was created for the New Zealand Fashion Museum for Pride 2026 with support from Britomart Group, Foundation North and The Rule Foundation.