Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Elias Strebe. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Elias, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

Growing up I always had a HUGE interest in art and fashion/fashion design. I loved sketching fashion illustrations and doing fashion shows with my dolls. I only really had an interest in woman’s fashion and illustration, so I never thought I (a biological man) could possibly put myself in the shoes of the people I was admiring and looking up to so much. Then, at 14 I learned about and started Drag. The makeup, the fashion, and the art of it all was exactly what I had been putting on paper for so many years already. Then I realized, that could literally be me. I have the opportunity to become that fashion model-esque figure I always admired and constantly conjured up in my head and on paper. I am 19 now, and I feel my Drag has just escalated immensely. I’m able to fully translate looks and concepts now, which my younger self could never see be done.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I was first introduced to Drag at age 14. I immediately knew that I wanted to pursue it, no matter what. I told my parents and they immediately were on board. HOWEVER, Drag is a very costly profession and I wanted to spare no expense when it came to my look! After spending, what my parents say, “was way too much money” on makeup and supplies I started practicing. I would constantly be in my room for hours, perfecting my Drag makeup. I began a Drag Instagram account to show off all of my looks. Since I was 14, doing Drag caught many people’s attention. 14 is a very young age to begin a Drag career. I felt that made me stand out in the Drag community for sure. Now, it’s been 5 years and I’m just a haggard, old 19-year-old Drag Queen! Another thing that I believe sets me apart from other people in my profession is the fact that I was in a near-fatal car accident at age 13. I was left with severe brain damage and a speech disorder. Before, I had clung to art because of my love for it. But now, due to my restrictions, I use art to say what I myself and not able to. That sounds SO corny, but it’s true.
The fact that I was able to start this career at such a young age really baffles me to this day (in the best way possible). I’m just so proud to be able to take what I put onto paper and bring it to life. Making these little fashion sketches at such a young age was just the beginning. I’ve become the person I was drawing and admiring those years ago. Getting to kind of look back at my younger self and be like: “that’s literally us now” is so amazing.
OKAY SO, here’s what you need to know about my Drag persona, Ultraviolet. She is a blonde bimbo, a woman of few words, but can walk in a 9-inch stiletto. She’s loving to all, but PLEASE ask before hugging her. Consent is key. She honestly dislikes human touch, period. But, anything for her supporters. She enjoys just showing her fashion anywhere, and at any time. On stage, be prepared because she wants to tell you a story when you are watching. Overall, she’s just a Barbie doll with a heartbeat.

: Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

RuPaul’s Drag Race. That’s my end goal. It’s considered “the Olympics of Drag”. Therefore, I have to compete. Being on the show, I feel, will just skyrocket my career in a way that I can’t even comprehend as of right now. I’ll get to show off my craft and personality on the largest scale in the Drag community. I’m eligible to compete in 2024, so get your Ultraviolet headshots and merchandise NOW!

How did you build your audience on social media?

I’ve been a part of social media for a long time now. Whenever I started my Drag account on Instagram, I took every opportunity possible to promote it. As well as the posts on the account. I used other platforms to inform others of my newfound love and they wanted to see how I progressed along the way. Performing at Drag shows also allowed for me to build more of a “fan base”. Putting yourself out there virtually and physically lets people see the real you and allows them to fall in love with you.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://uv-fashion.creator-spring.com/?
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsultraviolet_/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9seN70xin7NfIp5lh7Vsyg
• Other: I am most active on Instagram! That is where you will see most of my content.

Image Credits
All photo credits to John Strebe (my dad)