Le Grand Café is situated in a 19th-century building designed by Emile Janlet. The Brussels café wasn’t just eclectic on the outside; its soul was just as bold, thanks to the infamous drag queen shows held inside. Its heritage inspired us to explore the art of drag—its craft, devotion, self-expression, and theatricality.

Although drag is about more than make-up, it is an element that illustrates the true artistry of a queen. That’s why we created three extravagant drag queen portraits for the café’s walls. We traced the contours, highlights, brows, and lips back to their most abstract forms.

Each aspect of the portrait’s ‘make-up’ was represented by various marbles, brushed brass, plexiglass, velour, leather, and punctured metal. Through this design, Le Grand Café transforms into a celebration of identity and the fearless beauty of transformation.