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How to Polish Your 'Antenna' and Shine Authentically: The Durian Lollobrigida Way
Glittering costumes, intricately crafted makeup, and a stage presence that captivates the room in an instant. The aura that Durian Lollobrigida exudes can't be summed up with a simple word like "flamboyant." Through the art of drag, she is constantly reinventing what "beauty" can be.
Effortlessly transcending gender, conventions, and stereotypes, her performances connect directly with the audience's emotions. So, what is it about her artistry that mesmerizes people so completely? We aim to delve into the expressions that extend beyond the stage—exploring the aesthetic sensibility, creative origins, cultural influences, and artistic philosophy that lie beneath all that glamour.
PROFILE
Durian Lollobrigida
Age 41. Drag Queen.
She has appeared in Netflix’s The Boyfriend, NHK Radio 1’s Manmaru, and Marudori! UP. She is also expanding her career as an actor, with roles in the dramas Shrink: Seishinkai Yowai, HR Hero (Jinji no Hitomi), and Bokutachinchi, as well as the films Egoist and STRANGE.
She is currently active across a wide range of media, including television, radio, and the stage.
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Encountering Drag and the Aesthetic of "Transformation"
Durian is known for an overwhelming stage presence that instantly steals the show. But it's not just her look; the depth of her thoughts, shared with carefully chosen words, also draws people in.Her first encounter with drag, which would become the core of her artistic expression, happened when she was a senior in high school.
"There was a group of older gay men in my neighborhood who were kind to me, and we had this little circle where we'd get together a few times a week for dinner or karaoke. As a high school student, I would sometimes join them.
Then one year, at the end of the year, we all decided to dress in drag for a karaoke party. One of the members was someone who used to be a drag queen. The moment I saw them walk into the venue in full drag, I thought, 'How cool is that?' It was like being struck by lightning. I was truly shocked."
After that, she started learning makeup from him, bit by bit, and began practicing on her own face by watching and copying. She recalls often being surprised by just how challenging it was—the sheer number of steps and the delicate, time-consuming process.
And yet, what truly captured her heart and never let go was the incredible radiance of the drag queen persona. She was in awe of the strength and glamour she saw on stage, a mix of shock and admiration. These feelings naturally guided Durian into the world of drag.
For Durian, the most crucial aspect of her makeup is, quite literally, to "transform" (bakeru).
"I think every drag queen has their own unique aesthetic and set of rules, but what I'm most drawn to is the sheer range of the transformation—how something masculine can be completely altered into an unbelievable visual. I find romance in that change, and that's why I want the difference between my 'on' and 'off' personas to be as dramatic as possible. That's what I believe."
The Rules of Durian's Artistry, Reflected in Her Stage Costumes
In addition to her YouTube channel and singing career, Durian is also active as an actor. In April 2026, she is set to star in her first leading stage role in "DURIAN DURIAN."
She takes on the role of a charismatic fashion designer, caught up in the pre-Fashion Week frenzy of the fashion world.
"For the key visual photoshoot, we had countless on-set discussions about the outfit. We had a few options, but what we kept coming back to was the idea that 'a designer is, at the end of the day, a behind-the-scenes figure.'
Outlandish dresses and huge, piled-high wigs are ultimately for the models on the runway. We finally landed on a style based on a jacket suit, but one that exudes a strong personality, evoking a 'designer who likes to be a little bit of a show-off.' It's not over-the-top, but it has a solid presence. That's the persona I'm aiming for."
This flexible approach of finding the perfect fit for each role has been a consistent thread throughout her stage career. When she commissions an outfit, she places her complete trust in the creator's professional instincts.
"I don't give the designers super-detailed instructions. They have far more knowledge and experience, so I usually just say, 'I want you to make what *you* want to see Durian wear.' It's the chemical reaction that happens when their creative world collides with Durian, and those moments of revelation where I think, 'Oh, so this is how people see me'—that's what's so fascinating."
While she has deep respect for professional craftsmanship, she also offers a sharp analysis of the shifting landscape of how drag queens source their outfits.
"The world of drag fashion definitely has its own trends. Since the 2010s, fast fashion has exploded. It became easy to buy women's clothing at affordable prices, which was a game-changer. It was an era where the scope of expression widened dramatically, not just by wearing ready-made pieces but by altering and combining them. The presence of Forever 21 and H&M was iconic.
Then, the rise of international online retailers like AliExpress and SHEIN brought another massive shift. Flashy, daring outfits became affordable and easy to get, and I feel it has undeniably broadened the creative options for drag queens.
But you can't rely on e-commerce items alone to create a sense of 'luxury' or 'fantasy.' At the end of the day, you need custom-tailored or commissioned pieces. That said, a single gown can run you 150,000 to 200,000 yen. That's why the key is 'the mix.' I think the style of our time is all about striking the right balance—blending ready-to-wear pieces and online finds with custom or altered garments for that extra punch."
While she doesn't set hard-and-fast rules for her costumes, there's one principle she always sticks to.
"I try not to box myself in. I want to try all kinds of looks, and one of the reasons I'm so drawn to drag is its ability to embody any and every world, like a kaleidoscope. You can be a classic beauty, an alien creature, or even rock a traditional haori and hakama. I think that incredible range is the greatest appeal of being a drag queen.
That's why, with my outfits, I always want to 'subvert expectations.' If people start thinking my style is getting too classic, I'll do something completely wild next. If they think I've been too flashy, I'll switch it up and aim for pure, classic beauty. I want to keep playfully 'betraying' people's expectations and what they think they know."
Embracing What You Love on the Stage of Life
What draws people to Durian isn't just her glamour. It's the combination of her inner strength, unwavering aesthetic, and profound intellect that gives her such a unique presence. When we asked for tips on how to cultivate one's own expression in daily life, she had this to say.
"Honestly, inspiration can come from anywhere. If you have 100 people, you have 100 different antennas. And what each antenna picks up is going to be different, and that's perfectly fine. So I think the most important thing is to first discover what you 'love.' I know for myself, my inspiration always seems to stem from the things I'm passionate about."
This connects to her personal philosophy: "The show must go on." Once you step onto the stage of life, you become the star of your own production.
"I really don't see myself as expressing some lofty ideal or embodying 'Art' with a capital A. I'm simply doing what I love. But as I've kept at it, the stages have gotten bigger and I've had more opportunities to perform for more people, and for that, I am truly grateful.
More than anything, I like myself best when I'm doing something I love. So, I think life is a journey of discovering who you are when you're doing what you love, what you feel best wearing. If everyone can find their own passions, I think their lives will shine that much brighter."
Durian Lollobrigida's art isn't about becoming someone else. It's about being true to what you love and trusting that feeling. Through the persona of a drag queen, she demonstrates nothing less than an entire approach to how we should live on the stage of life.
Onstage and off—the show goes on.
Performance Details
The stage play "DURIAN DURIAN"
Dates: Saturday, April 18 – Sunday, April 26, 2026 (11 performances total)
*Doors open 45 minutes before showtime.
Script & Direction: Taiyo Murakado (THE ROB CARLTON)
Cast: Dorian Lollobrigida, Raita, Yuki Kamizato, Daichi Murakado (THE ROB CARLTON), Ryo Iwase, Ryoya Iihara (Dow 90000)
Venue:
I’M A SHOW (Yurakucho Marion (Yurakucho Center Bldg.) Annex 7F, 2-5-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo)
Official Website: https://durian-durian.srptokyo.com/
Text by Tajimax
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