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The second series of UK vs The World was the first time a UK franchise offered a cash prize and Tia scooped \u00a350,000. <\/p>\n
Winning queens on the US show can bag $200,000 (\u00a3156,000) as well as cash tips of $5,000 (\u00a33,900) if they come top in weekly challenges.<\/p>\n
And Tia thinks the influence of the high standards seen on Drag Race may be pushing up costs for queens.<\/p>\n
“There are so many people who can sew and make their own outfits but for people who can\u2019t, the prices have inflated above the odds,” she says.<\/p>\n
One person seeing more and more commissions is Dannie Aston, who runs Dannie Does Drag in Brighton. <\/p>\n
While she tries to cater to all her clients’ budgets, she agrees with Tia that what people see on the runway across the Atlantic is influencing the kind of outfits she’s being asked to make.<\/p>\n
“Of course, their looks are going to be insane,” she says. “The money they have to spend on these costumes is incredible. <\/p>\n
“And then over here I feel I’ve got to do as well as them.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
Raiine<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\nKane says he was “financially ruined” when he first started out in drag<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n\n
That expectation is something that affected Kane at the start of his drag career a few years ago, performing in Brighton as Raiine.<\/p>\n
“I was getting very competitive when I was starting out to try and uphold what I was seeing around me,” he says.<\/p>\n
“It put me in financial ruin.”<\/p>\n
For Raiine, a full look including the outfit, wigs, makeup, shoes and accessories could cost thousands.<\/p>\n
He says it’s “wild”, especially considering “for a shift or a gig, you\u2019re making \u00a3100-200 if you\u2019re lucky”.<\/p>\n
“If people’s only viewpoint of drag is Drag Race, they’re gonna expect that level and calibre of outfits from drag queens they see day to day,” he says.<\/p>\n
“But if one day we want to wear a \u00a320 Pretty Little Thing outfit, I\u2019m not against it,” he says. <\/p>\n
“There\u2019s a cost of living crisis.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n