Fierce Finery
A North Scituate resident serves up jeweled realness fit for drag queen royalty . By Ellen Liberman
For the uninitiated , “ RuPaul ’ s Drag Race ” — fourteen seasons and counting — is a festival of fab , as contestants vie for a cash prize and title of America ’ s Next Drag Superstar .
An achievement like that deserves no less than the most glittering , sparkling , dazzling tower of fire that can be rested upon a royal head — every queen needs a crown , no ? For the last decade , when RuPaul caps the winner in the final episode , that rhinestone symbol of glory was designed and crafted in North Scituate out of materials sourced in Rhode Island .
In drag culture , “ fierce ” — meaning extraordinary — is the highest of compliments , so when John Griffin started his business making fine costume jewelry for drag queens and other performers , he named it Fierce Drag Jewels .
“ I started producing exclusively for drag queens when there was little quality stage jewelry available ,” he says . “ From drag queens , it turned into designing for burlesque entertainers and others .”
He makes everything from fan handles and headdresses done in the traditional style
to elaborate bras , belts and codpieces . His priciest crown was a $ 7,000 replica of a Russian imperial crown for a movie , but he also makes simpler pieces for lesser mortals starting at $ 200 . He ’ s also designed for Rhode Island ’ s own Debra Messing and actress Cate Blanchett .
A Colorado native , Griffin studied at New York ’ s Fashion Institute of Technology , but had no interest in designing better sportswear . He wanted to be Bob Mackie , the legendary designer of over-the-top costumes for celebrities such as Cher and Carol Burnett . Griffin ’ s first job was for the Utah Opera Company , doing repairs and all-around “ grunt work .” After two years , he left to pursue a career as drag performer Nova Starr . In 2007 , he opened Fierce Drag Jewels .
His professional life took him briefly to Rhode Island ; he also lived in Kentucky and Texas , where he met his husband . But the cost of shipping the Swarovski and Preciosa crystals he uses in his creations and the plating work to and from Rhode Island led the couple to settle here to be closer to the source materials and finishers .
“ Rhode Island is still the center of the costume jewelry world , but if you aren ’ t in the business , you don ’ t know that ,” he says . “ Electroplating is a vanishing art . The craft still exists but everyone has gone to industrial , where they electroplate in bigger batches with harsher finishes . There are only a few who do it right . The finest electroplaters in the country for costume jewelry are in Rhode Island .”
This year , he plans to expand into special occasion brooches and his Fierce Bride line of affordable tiaras and bridal jewelry .
“ One thing I learned from working with drag performers is glamour on a budget is a reality ,” he says . “ And I was inspired by my own desire to make everything perfect for my wedding . So many brides want that one piece of custom that they ’ ll never get done for the rest of their lives , and I ’ m honored that they would want me to be a part of that special moment .” fiercedragjewels . com
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF FIERCE DRAG JEWELS .
RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l OCTOBER 2022 17