This Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs will face off against the San Fransisco 49ers in Las Vegas for Super Bowl LVIII. (Yay, sports!) Adding to the excitement will be global superstar Usher, hitting the main stage for the official halftime show. “People will tune in for a football game, but I hope, when they look at that halftime performance, I’m hoping they walk away with something that’s healing them,” he told Vogue. “Something that makes them feel hopeful.”
The Super Bowl halftime show is certainly no small gig to take on: Over the years, it has gifted us some of the most memorable live performances of all time—not to mention some extremely stylish looks too. Last year, Rihanna wowed the crowd in her red Alaïa puffer coat and Loewe jumpsuit. In 2020, Jennifer Lopez and Shakira delivered double the style in gold and silver looks. There have even been some more, well, unexpected moments that have since become iconic—like back in the year 2004, when Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction alongside Justin Timberlake launched headlines and debates across the world.
In anticipation of this year’s halftime show, Vogue wanted to highlight some of these fashion wins. And what better way to do so than to recreate them? With the concept in mind, we called up 10 cast members from season 16 of RuPaul’s Drag Race and asked if they’d be up for the challenge of recreating some of their favorite Super Bowl looks. (Spoiler alert: Of course they were.) These creative queens are, after all, used to turning epic looks on the show (and also have a history of recreating fashion moments for Vogue).
Which performers made their cut? Prince and Shakira, of course, as well as some more unexpected halftime stars, like Katy Perry and her viral “Left Shark.” Below, a curation of drag-ified Super Bowl transformations. They are total fashion touchdowns.