India’s first queer-led makeup brand draws on drag culture to create high-performance cosmetics centred on colour and self-expression.
What happens when a makeup brand is created from within the culture that has influenced beauty for decades? Kitty Su Beauty, India’s first queer-led makeup line, is attempting to answer that question by putting queer and drag perspectives at the centre of its products.
The brand, associated with the LaLiT hotel group, is primarily aimed at drag performers but is intended for anyone who wants to experiment with their identity and appearance. Its name comes from the group’s Kitty Su nightclubs, which are known for their LGBTQIA+ events.
At the centre of the project is drag performer Reggie Sandhu, better known as Hash Brownie, who is the brand’s co-creator and formulates its products. The idea, she believes, addresses a gap in the beauty industry: while mainstream makeup has repeatedly drawn from queer and drag culture, queer artists have rarely been part of the conversation when products themselves are developed.
That perspective has influenced the way Kitty Su Beauty approaches makeup, including its colour intensity, shade selection, texture and performance. The brand views cosmetics not simply as products that enhance appearance, but as tools for transformation and self-expression.
The origins of the line can be traced to an unexpected makeover several years ago. At a party, Sandhu styled French entrepreneur Cyril Feuillebois, who is married to LaLiT Hotels scion Keshav Suri. The finished look reminded Feuillebois of how his mother had looked at 30, leaving a strong impression on him. Two years later, he invited Sandhu to lunch, where the possibility of creating a cosmetics brand oriented towards the LGBT community was discussed and eventually developed into a strategy.
Kitty Su Beauty was launched last month, with Suri and Feuillebois as its founders and Sandhu as co-creator. The initial range includes lip gloss and lip shine products, with the brand planning to expand its offerings. The products are available through its own website as well as e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Flipkart.
The brand’s approach is built around colour, transformation and versatility. Its immediate focus is on developing a wider colour cosmetics range and performance-oriented formulas, while creating more opportunities for creators, artists and drag performers to be part of its world.
For Kitty Su Beauty, the idea is not to dictate how makeup should be worn. Instead, it approaches beauty as something that can help people explore different versions of themselves.
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