With her signature blue make-up, sharp-as-knives contour and out-of-this-world outfits, the queen is carving out an inimitable profile on the London queer scene
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South London’s Lagoon Femshayma (otherwise known as Zooey Gleaves) is the definition of multi-hyphenate. Drag queen, DJ, presenter, broadcaster, creative director… tick, tick, tick. The common thread? Lagoon herself, who has carved out a unique profile on the London queer scene with her signature drag: full colour-block body paint plus sharp-as-knives contour and out-of-this-world outfits.
Why does she do what she does? “It’s a way to bring to life every sci-fi/video game/cartoon fantasy about beauty and glamour that I’ve ever had,” she says. “It’s also a great way to get attention.” It’s clearly a method that’s worked well so far, and it’s only up from here: next for Lagoon is taking on the electronic music scene at large. On October 10, she’ll appear as the first ever drag queen to play a Boiler Room alongside a host of talent from the scene, including Kevin Aviance and Beauty Blender.
On beauty, it’s been a life-long affair, starting with childhood forays into her mum’s make-up bag. She also mentions a pivotal turn as the “Prophet of Doom” in her Year Two school play, wearing a purple face with yellow lightning bolts under both eyes, with a red top hat and matching leotard (“so I’ve basically been groomed for this from birth”). Nowadays, Lagoon’s aesthetic is similarly fierce. In three words? “Stunutha Divina Gorgessa.” Read on to hear all about Lagoon’s vision for the future of makeup (tooth sharpening and third eyes, anyone?) and her secret to feeling beautiful.
Lagoon Femshayma: Catherine Tramell from Basic Instinct as she’s a smoker with dark eyebrows who secretly HATES Michael Douglas. Or Heimlich from A Bugs Life.
What is your favourite beauty look of all time?
Lagoon Femshayma: I think John Galliano and Pat Mcgrath’s collaborations for Dior are my favourites: layers on layers on layers of reference, with nothing left behind. Also Duchess from The Aristocats playing the harp, it doesn’t get chicer than that.
What does beauty mean to you?
Lagoon Femshayma: Money.
When do you feel most beautiful?
Lagoon Femshayma: Rolling around in the tub with some electric eels does the job.
As a warning to the other members of the resistance, your head is to be mounted above the gates of the city. How would you do your make-up that morning?
Lagoon Femshayma: I’d scoop my eyes out with a spoon.
Make-up by Lynski, creative direction Lagoon FemshaymaPhotography Riccardo T. Castano
It is the sixth day and you are creating humans. They can look however you want them to. What do they look like?
Lagoon Femshayma: Probably blue, to be honest! At this point, there are so many sexy blue points of reference it would be rude not to. Smurfette, Doctor Manhattan, Beast from X-Men... cor blimey!
It’s the year 2100. You’re the owner of the largest beauty tech company in the world, what five products or treatments will you dedicate your resources to trying to invent?
Lagoon Femshayma: Permanent teeth sharpening, chrome skin, blood tears, third eye implants, and lavender deodorant.
