Hey Qween's Lady Red Couture Has Died

Hey Qween legend Lady Red Couture sadly passed away over the weekend…

On Saturday, Lady Red Couture, pillar of Los Angeles’ trans and drag communities, died. She was 43. Jonny McGovern, who co-hosted the long-running show Hey Qween alongside Lady Red Couture, announced the news on social media.

“It doesn’t feel real but the beautiful light that was Lady Red is gone,” he wrote. “I love you baby. I will miss you every day.”

“She meant so much to so many people,” McGovern’s post continues. “All I can do is cry and mourn the giant loss of my sister, creative partner, and best friend.”

It doesn’t feel real but the beautiful light that was Lady Red is gone. #RIPLadyRed I love you baby. I will miss you everyday. pic.twitter.com/IXBT2hhITR

— Jonny McGovern (@GayPimp) July 25, 2020

A week prior McGovern had posted to social media that he had rushed Lady Red to the hospital due to complications with cyclic vomiting syndrome, a chronic condition that the performer suffered from. At the time McGovern asked for donations to help Lady Red with her bills given that she was in the intensive care overnight. On Friday McGovern reported that she had been on a breathing tube and unconscious for five days but was stabilizing. McGovern has said that “ALL the generous donations to her Venmo over this week” will go towards funeral costs.

Also known as Mother Couture, Lady Red took an active interest in mentoring younger queens, making them dresses, doing their makeup, and teaching them how to be in the world.

She was featured in a recent article by Harper’s Bazaar profiling the “most legendary drag queens” in the U.S. The article states that Lady Red described herself as the “largest live-singing drag queen in captivity.” She added, “I’ve been around for a long time, so anything that sparkles or shines, I’m very good at.” Her last album, #Stuntqueen, was released in 2018.

Rest In Power, Lady Red Couture.