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A lavishly illustrated guide hopes to tell the complete story of the 'Art of Drag'

A handful of drag histories have been written throughout the years, but the majority have focussed only on male drag queens. This isn't accurate – from the trans women resisting police brutality to the Hollywood starlets laying the blueprint for hyper-femininity, there's a world of drag that's been forgotten or erased.

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The Art of Drag book cover featuring colourful illustrated drag performers against a turquoise background, with names of contributors listed at the top

Now journalist Jake Hall hopes to remedy that with the launch of their new book, The Art of Drag. Delving deep into the very beginnings of drag to the present day and beyond, the guide features colourful illustrations by hugely talented queer artists – Helen Li, Sofie Birkin, and Jasjyot Singh Hans.

The book isn't just a history of drag as we know it today, but a deconstruction of its various elements – performance, theatre, politics, freakiness, charisma or influence – and the timeline stretches back to Ancient Greece.

The vibrant illustrations enhance this rich history, from Kabuki theatre to Shakespeare, the revolutionary Stonewall riots to the thriving New York ballroom scene. The book also comes with fascinating glimpses into the future of drag with insights from top personalities including The Vixen, Crystal Rasmussen, Sweatmother and Don One.

In the book's introduction, Jake writes: "While cross-dressing has been around for hundreds of years, it wasn’t 'drag' until an 1870 edition of the UK's Reynold's Newspaper printed a fabulous- sounding event invitation: 'We shall come in drag, which means men dressed in women's costumes.' It is now one of the world's most glamorous, hilarious and rebellious art forms. Not only does drag set out to subvert society's norms, it delights at poking fun at the world around us. Every day, artists across the globe dig deep into their dressing-up boxes, using lavish costumes and make-up to magic up larger-than-life alter-egos that dazzle and amaze. It's exciting, liberating and deliciously queer, so it's no wonder that drag has fast become a global phenomenon."

The Art of Drag by Jake Hall is out in September.

Colourful illustration of six stylised drag performers against a bright blue background with a starburst effect, from The Art of Drag book
Colourful illustration featuring diverse drag performers with bold makeup, wigs and costumes in vibrant pink, yellow, green and blue tones against patterned backgrounds
Illustration of a drag performer with brown skin, bold eye makeup, yellow lips and elaborate blue and purple hair with yellow streaks, adorned with green spikes and gold jewellery against a bright pink background
Colourful illustrated spread showing diverse performers in vibrant costumes dancing and posing in a stylised nightclub setting with purple and yellow tones
Colourful illustrated collage featuring drag performers with bold makeup, wigs and fashion against a pink background, with rainbow flags and social media elements
Pink figure with voluminous pink wavy hair standing on a purple shell, surrounded by stylised water, flowers and birds against a lime green sky
Illustrated spread from The Art of Drag book featuring dozens of colourful characters in various drag styles and performance outfits against a pink background
Illustration of a glamorous figure with blonde hair in a flowing pink dress with gold accents, suspended by golden chains against a black starlit background
Colourful illustration titled "The Future of Drag" showing five stylised drag performers around a glowing crystal ball against a bright yellow and pink background
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