Meeting Pitita: The Face Behind the Fashion
Words by Diego Sousa Pitti via Misfitlens Creative Agency
I still remember the first time I met Pitita, casually introduced to me at Candy Darling Bar by some of my closest friends in Barcelona. I thought, "it must be because of the crowd/my friends," but no, it's actually because Pitita is a friend of Barcelona: having won Drag Race España does not seem to have changed her out-of-drag social, daily life, and I love that. Now I see her everywhere, and though this might be the perfect spot for a read, this library has only one thing to say: it doesn’t get old. What I aim to bring you today, however, is the side or sides of Pitita that you will not get to see when hanging out with her at your local bar on any given night.
The buzz of anticipation for the upcoming IAMICONIQA 5 evening at Razzmatazz on May 12th, where Pitita is set to perform, headlining with Symone, serves as a perfect backdrop to delve into the story of this drag icon. "I started 11 years ago, with my fresh eighteens, as a charismatic-but-horribly-dressed host in a popular hotel here in Barcelona," Pitita recalls. Even in those early days, juggling secrecy and the thrill of performance, she was crafting the persona who would captivate audiences on and off the stage.
“Poor thing was doing drag without my parents knowing it, so my resources were limited,” she reminisced. She described how she “fell in love with the energy you receive being a drag queen.” This, she mentioned, motivated her to improve in order to one day become “a name in this artform.” She worked for years as a fashion designer, costume maker, and stylist, before Pitita was born, by then “with all the knowledge and possibilities” that came from her lived experience, both personal and professional.
From trashy, to classy, her artistic influences are as eclectic as the performances she crafts. "My influences live very far from each other; I can go from trash TV moments to the most curated old opera songs," she explains. “I would say my references are always unique artists who fight or fought hard to make their vision be seen, whether it is in music, fashion, acting or any artistic area.” These diverse sources fuel her creativity, with a clear, stated element of surprise and motivation for her audience. "I always aim to entertain and surprise the audience with something new and bold enough to make them have an empowerment moment."
Reflecting on her time in 'Drag Race España', Pitita described it as a collection of defining moments, of which she cannot choose a single one. "I was able to show all the fashion my team and I created for the show, showcased my goods as an actor, winning acting challenges mostly," she recounted. Adversity and the competitive tension that naturally accompanies such a high-stakes environment as Drag Race is, could not dampen her spirits. In her own words, “not even a broken finger or some part of the cast coming for me when I started winning” could put her down. This attitude not only carried her through the show but also helped her clinch the coveted title in the end.
When it comes to her fashion, Pitita's approach is intuitive and visionary. "It’s always super fast, actually. I like to think there’s many couture pieces in my brain walking the runway, and some day, all of those silhouettes and volumes have babies and a new idea comes to my mind," she explained. She described how she prefers to focus her creations around one main element, concept, or “execution particularity,” having the whole dress and look follow a clear concept or guiding thread, “to make the fantasy as perfect and real as possible."
I asked Pitita in what ways she believed drag culture in Spain had evolved since her victory. With her characteristic sense of humor, she validly observed: "It’s quite recent, so I don’t believe any of us has had time to evolve much," laughing. However, she noted, "traveling around the country, I’ve met many new drag queens inspired by my work on the show, so I’m sure I’m not wrong by saying that we will soon have a country of better-dressed queens!", laughing again. She gives off a warm and approachable feeling and, opposite to the complexity and grandeur of her designs, is very girl-next-door-ish out of drag —the type of human that would not change her daily life much even after becoming an international star.
When Pitita won, she famously dedicated her victory to those who felt marginalized. I asked her how she sees her role as an advocate through her artform, and her answer deserves to be quoted in its entirety, word by word, so I’ll spare you my interpretation and leave you with her voice. “My story has been seen by millions of people, and that means some growing human beings with lots of questions and fears will have been witnesses of another queer kid who, besides having a sad past, could make it. All I could do was to be open to talk, so people who may have felt like that at that moment, had a palm on their shoulder saying ‘it's gonna get better if you find the strength to change it.’”
“My story has been seen by millions of people, and that means some growing human beings with lots of questions and fears will have been witnesses of another queer kid who, besides having a sad past, could make it.”
I asked what her fans can expect from her IAMICONIQA performance, and she confidently replied: “What I give every single time I am on a big stage: accurate and well prepared shows, perfectly adapted into the fashion atmosphere we will be in and, of course, new looks made specially for the party.” She commented that she will also be upping her dance game for the event, asserting that she is “pretty sure it’s gonna be fierce.” We expect no less from the winner of Drag Race España Season 3.
Looking ahead, Pitita is excited about her ongoing and future projects. She plans to "keep enjoying all the beautiful experiences and people that my work includes.” For Pitita, the joy and work of creation is continuous, whether she's conceptualizing a new outfit or prepraring a performance. “I need to keep on creating with no stop; and that is what I’ve always wanted to do in my daily life. I’m a classical artist, can’t take me out of running crazy ideas and getting my hands into making magic happen in fashion. I am in my best moment ever.”
She reflected on her legacy and the influence she hopes to maintain. "I want to be remembered as a humble fashion kid who could achieve their dreams with determination and work," she stated. And with a playful nod to her fashion prowess, she added, "but if I had to go with one title, I would run for the Best Self-Dressed Fashion Queen of the Country… too long?" She made a point out of how she continues to work on “new fashions and looks” inorder to make sure she will continue to influence drag’s and people’s fashion and style.
As Pitita prepares to step onto the stage at IAMICONIQA on May 12th —just a couple days away— it's clear that her journey is more than just about the applause. Hers is a journey that mixes personal objectives of living a free, fun (and funny) life, a la high fashion, with another side that might get lost in translation without an intimate dive such as this interview: the selfless side to her art. Pitita shows Barcelona, and any city she’s in on any given day, that there is space for others as well as yourself, within your passions. Pitita will continue to inspire, and we will continue to enjoy her for as long as she shares herself with us.