A Night in the Life of: Ericka Toure Aviance

Ericka Toure Aviance has been on the drag and nightlife scene since 1999—a graduate of the Tisch School of Integrated Dance (ballet and modern), she's also a member of the House of Aviance, a sisterhood of creative people who pump a DIY, "avant-garde, couture look."

You work in nightlife, what does that mean for a drag queen?
Right now I'm mainly a hostess, which is—to put it down sharply—I get paid to dress up, show up, drink and mingle. On occasion I also put on shows: I dance, and lypsynch and sing. I've been on tour all over the U.S. with Jonny McGovern, the Gay Pimp. I've done backup for him in Virginia, Ohio, Miami, Seattle, San Francisco, and Honalulu, where we performed in front of animals by the city zoo.

Lately I've been working with music, I'll be coming out this summer with a single entitled "My Pumps."

How is fashion a part of this job, and life? Do you do your own looks?
I used to sew all of my own clothes, now One Half Nelson mainly helps me with my looks. But really, practically every look is a collaboration between a group of sisters, mine being the House of Aviance. But I take from vintage, I make some things, I borrow. There's a whole communal feeling among my sisters as far as creating drag.

So the couture look is not your your feather-boa, sequin drag queen?
To start, generally none of us wear tits—it's uncomfortable, hot, sweaty, and confines you to a certain vibe that gives you less freedom. But there's nothing wrong with that—any drag queen gets props from me because it's a hard life.

But yes, Nelson especially makes looks out of things that one wouldn't necessarily think as clothing—metal, plastics, vinyl, leathers, and we mix all things. My personal style is a high '80s glamour. I grew up watching Dynasty, Knots Landing; also Prince and his protégées (Appalonia and Vanity) and this plays a lot into what I wear.

This past weekend I wore a look—a very Vanity 6, low-backed, tight red leather dress with huge poofy sleeves and a slit up the ass, and that was it—simple as that. But I can get as opulent as five layers of crinoline, asymmetrical cut sweetheart tops, with stones and pins and an asymmetrical hairdo, huge chunky bracelets. And always a four-inch heel, I can do kicks, flips, and cartwheels in them.

I've seen you wearing two totally different kinds of dangly earrings, what does that do? Does it give multiple sihouettes?
I love mixing a matching—that's a very Aviance thing, to give as much look as possible. I'll cram as many things as I can into one look.

Can it ever be too much?
I don't think so! You know how they say for "real ladies," when you're about to leave your house, always take off one accessory? I think you should put on five more. And maybe you'll have enough? That's what's cunty. And I'll always carry a bag, of course—usually a clutch, 'cause it's cuntier.

What is it to be cunty?
I dunno if Kevin Aviance coined it, but he very much brought it to prominence. It's feeling the most lovely you can possibly feel, but also with a hard edge. It's not subtle, it's not an Oscar de la Renta, it's like Nicolas Ghesquiere-y, it's like Balenciaga. It's not old fashion or refined, it's in your face. It's not Chanel -- although Chanel can be cunt, but very lady. Fishy cunt.

It's I'm lovely, there's nothing you can tell me that can make me think any different. I'm lovely and FUCK YOU If you don't agree.

You're a nightlife person—what is it about nightlife that attracted you?
Initially I wanted to be one of the pretty people, the glitterati who don't wait on line or pay for drinks—it just seemed all so glamorous. And I wanted to be inside the VIP area, not outside looking in.

What is New York to you?
Freedom

Where else could you live?
Maybe Berlin? But not right now. Maybe when I'm like, 40.

Photos by Dex Star G