Karl Lagerfeld discusses what he admires about the bearded drag artist
The Eurovision winner has already taken to the catwalk, modelling in the autumn/winter 2014 Jean Paul Gaultier show in July, and now the 25-year-old is branching out with a racy editorial shoot.
In pictures for the Fall issue of CR Fashion Book Conchita appears in lace lingerie accompanied by pregnant model Ashleigh Good and legendary designer Karl Lagerfeld.
Chanel designer Karl was the photographer on the shoot, while androgynous model Casey Legler interviewed the Austrian singing star.
In the interview Conchita (who goes by the name Tom Neuwirth when not in character) opens up about her childhood and how she struggled to get where she is today.
She tells Casey that Conchita has always been a part of her life.
'Conchita is the story of my life. I grew up in a small Austrian village, a quite conservative one, and I was the weird little boy always dressing as a girl.'
Conchita says that her big break came as a bit of a fluke after she fell into the burlesque scene.
'I'd done drag since I was 14, for special occasions, and in 2010 a friend of mine with her own burlesque group was looking for a host.
'During a party I was just fooling around, taking the microphone, saying stupid, funny things, and she asked me afterward if I wanted to host her burlesque show every Saturday.
'That was the point when I started to do drag regularly. It was overwhelming for me, because besides having fun and dressing up every weekend, I got to learn from such great artists, people who are allowed to do whatever they want. It opened my eyes to a totally new world.'
Karl Lagerfeld, known for trying to challenge conformity says that this is exactly what he admired in the famous drag queen.
'I like Conchita because not only does she really have a voice but she has done something that's never been done before.
'We have all heard of "bearded ladies" but no one has ever seen a bearded man posing as a lady.....This brings new meaning to the term "drag"'
The designer says that pairing the two unlikely models together created a great juxtaposition.
'I photographed him for CR with my pregnant bride for the couture, Ashleigh... A skinny musician next to a pregnant top model, it was a game of volumes!'
The feature was styled with risque Givenchy clothing by former editor of Vogue Paris, and CR founder, Carine Roitfeld.
Carine says that having such unsusual models made it quite a difficult shoot to style.
'It wasn't as easy as I had imagined… it was a sensitive subject, but Karl's talent in photographing with a classical style gave more strength to Conchita's character!'
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