RuPaul pays tribute to 1994 MAC Viva Glam look on RuPaul's Drag Race 200th episode runway

RuPaul paid tribute to — who else — RuPaul on the runway for the monumental 200th episode of RuPaul's Drag Race.

The Queen of Drag strutted atop the Main Stage toward the middle of the celebratory episode commemorating 14 years and 200 episodes of the Emmy-winning competition series, wearing a sexy red leather corset with gold embellishments — all of which channeled the iconic ensemble RuPaul first wore in 1994 as the first face of the MAC Viva Glam cosmetics initiative.

"Today is our 200th episode, can you believe that?" RuPaul asked as judges Michelle Visage and Carson Kressley (plus special guest Julia Garner) applauded her runway presentation. "To celebrate, I brought some cake and candy," RuPaul added, playfully referencing both her own revealing outfit as well as her Black Butta album track "Cake & Candy," which she later performed in front of the panel.

The 62-year-old did it all — including running a full round of judging — in the same glossy look, while the season 15 contestants walked the runway in looks inspired by signature ball challenge themes of the past.

Mama Ru first made red leather a staple of her pop culture legacy as part of the MAC Viva Glam campaign, including a lipstick initiative with the brand that donated proceeds from sales of the products to the MAC AIDS fund.

Since then, other celebrities have participated in the benefit, including Drag Race season 9 guest judge Lady Gaga, season 10 guest judge Christina Aguilera, Cyndi Lauper, Elton John, Missy Elliott, season 12 guest judge Nicki Minaj, and All-Stars 5 guest judge Ricky Martin.

Before taking a stand on the game-changing makeup launch, RuPaul told EW in a 2017 cover story how he cut his teeth in the entertainment world before rising even further into the mainstream on Drag Race.

"Everything came to a screeching halt when I turned 28. I moved out to LA because nothing was happening for me. I was sleeping on my baby sister's couch, not a penny to my name," he said at the time. "I thought, 'Could it be that this is not meant for me?' It was this horrible existence. And one day, my friend Larry Tee called me and said, 'Ru, what the f--- are you doing? You are a star. Get your ass back to New York and get your s--- together.' And I did. I got a plane ticket and decided I was going to shave these legs, I'm going to shave my chest, I'm going to put some f---ing titties in — rolled-up socks, not implants — and I'm going to go back to New York and give those bitches exactly what they want from me."

RuPaul's Drag Race continues Fridays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on MTV. See RuPaul's MAC Viva Glam tribute look from the season 15 runway above.

Subscribe toEW's Quick Drag podcast for recaps of RuPaul's Drag Race, including reactions with the cast, special guests, and more.

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