Joe Black was Brighton’s first Drag Queen to be on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. Unfortunately, Joe was the first queen to be eliminated this season but returned midseason to replace Veronica Green. However, Joe’s return was short lived when he decided to wear a pink H&M dress on stage when performing to “UK Hun?” in the RuRuVision Song Contest. RuPaul’s outburst over the off-the-rack H&M dress has now become a meme and has gone down in Drag Race Herstory!
Thank you for all the fantastic work you do @sussexbeacon ❤️️️and @misterjoeblack you're a superstar! ? https://t.co/MyhDvfkmGK
— H&M United Kingdom (@hmunitedkingdom) April 9, 2021
Joe Black has kindly donated the infamous pink H&M dress to be raffled off to raise funds for the Sussex Beacon. The raffle launched online on Raffall on Friday 26th March at 9am and will run until midnight on Friday 28th May. Tickets are only £2.50.
Since launching the raffle the Sussex Beacon’s tweet (@sussexbeacon) announcing the raffle has received 200,000 views and more than 2,000 tickets have been sold.
The Sussex Beacon is delighted to confirm that H&M UK have matched the present level of ticket sales with a £5,000 match donation. This brings the total brought in by Joe Black’s dress sale to over £10,000 (and rising).
Luciane Toldo, Sustainability Manager H&M UK & IE, said:
“We are very proud to support The Sussex Beacon, the amazing work they do to support people living with HIV is truly humbling. Auctioning the H&M dress worn by Joe Black on RuPaul’s drag Race is a fun and fantastic way to raise awareness of such an important cause.”
Very very pleased to say this has happened! @hmunitedkingdom matched our current money raised of £5000. Bringing the total to £10,000. Not bad eh? This is gonna help a lot of people. And the raffle is on till June!! https://t.co/MdRkfcpyJs
— Joe Black (@misterjoeblack) April 9, 2021
Joe Black said:
"I am so happy that the most dramatic and infamous fashion choice on television this year can be turned into something that can genuinely impact and help people. So, it is my absolute pleasure to be handing this over to the Sussex Beacon and hopefully together we can help raise a lot of money for a charity doing such fantastic work. Fashion changes lives, but only if a television host is really, really angry about it.
Well, I think we should all see some f*****g H&M! I’m so happy to see that H&M have kindly offered to match the £5000 we had already raised, bringing our total up to £10,000! I am beyond thrilled that a simple fashion choice on a television show has ultimately helped a lot of people. I cannot express how pleased I am with the support from everyone involved and who has taken part.’
Our Fundraising manager Mark said:
“We are over the moon with the generosity of both Joe and H&M in supporting this raffle. To raise over £10,000 during these difficult times is one thing but entirely another from the raffling of a single dress. It’s extraordinary. This will make an enormous difference to those living with HIV in Sussex. If you’re interested, there’s still time to enter.”
The Sussex Beacon are extremely grateful for Joe’s donation and are excited to raffle off the dress. Trading Manager Wayne Stone said:
“Joe Black’s very kind donation means we can come back fighting when we open our shop doors again in April. You have watched the clips, you have seen the epic meme’s and now you can sashay away in the very same infamous dress!”
