How does that age-old adage go again? That's right - You know you wanna be Silky.
The elite Kiki House of Silky has capped off yet another Silky Ball. This time, they've taken over the Machine Hall precinct with much whooping and revelry as part of this year's Vivid Sydney programme. With a family-first ethos, five years of legacy has marked this ball like none other. At its incubation, the house originated on Gadigal Land before expanding to their current sister chapters in Boorloo and Naarm. Father Xaddy and Mother Mira have facilitated the growth of Silky and greater ballroom on their own terms.
Their essence – the apt categoricals 'stylish, sexy, and stupid' crown everything the house does. Together, they have taken to the Australian ballroom scene with a revitalising approach without ever losing hindsight of who came before them. With deference to pioneering Black and Latinx femme queens of New York, House of Silky continues to embody the legacy of QTIPOC excellence, beauty, and self-expression in a ubiquitously Australian fashion.
As Xander Khoury, AKA Father Xaddy has previously said to RUSSH: "House of Silky is a family. For some, it's their only family and others a second chosen family. What you see at balls is only a fraction of what it means to be in a house. Know that behind the balls is a group of people supporting each other in every aspect of life; home life, work life, financially, socially and emotionally... Created and lead by Black trans women, ballroom has infiltrated all areas of pop culture including fashion, art, music, dance, film and even our vocabulary over the last 50 years."
This year's Silky Ball saw unprecedented levels of bombastic celebration. Between presentations that summoned villainous Disney foes and European Runway Excellence... spectacle abounded from every end. Glamour was the name, and it flitted between every walker who slunk down the runway. To give you a taster of the village that puts on a Ball, we've put together this one-stop deck of all the aerodynamics that takes place to make Silky, Silky.
Reporting live from Silky TV...
Jack Silky & Mia Silky, the very serious journalists from ‘Silky TV’. Bri Bri Silky, getting ready for the Grand Silky Ball.
Xander Silky, host of the Grand Silky Ball, in colourful conversation with the judges.
Is it 10s or a chop? Rocky Silky, Makeii Silky, Basjia Silky, Nikki from Everi-Body, Basjia Silky and Raven 007 watching Models Realness.
Kiei goddesses. Leilani Iman & Juju Iman for Tag Team Sex Siren.
Api Silky. A snack, snacking. Atoug Silky, a Gaultier dream backstage at the Grand Silky Ball.
The Gadigal Chapter of House of Silky. Yanti Cartier, for the dragon-inspired Bizarre category.
Battle of the 90s Runway icons: Thierry Mugler vs Gianni Versace. Realised in this final battle between Ivory 007 and Mike 007. Finishing touches for King 007, inspired by Michael B. Jordan’s character from Black Panther.
One of Silky Ball’s ‘New Gen’ superstars, from the House of Givenchy.
Angel 007 in her Thierry Mugler Spring Summer 1992 inspired cowgirl look.
Now hold that pose for me: Jacob Juicy-Slé.
Reimagining the Silky’s Dragon emblem for the Bizarre category, Yanti Cartier.
Nikita Iman, in Drags Face serving Cruella.
Xuela Juicy-Slé, walking Villainous Face. Xuela Juicy Slé, as the Queen of the Damned.
Danisa Silky, ready to twirl for the Silky Grand March. Basjia Silky, serving Amsterdam Red Light District.
