So when Canada's Drag Race opened the Werk Room in 2020, we were so excited to see all of the amazing drag talent shine in our own backyard. Enter Priyanka, our homegrown hero from Toronto— an icon and legend who would end up being crowned Canada's first drag superstar. Not only did Priyanka serve charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent, but she did this all while being honest and open about their experiences as a queer Indo-Guyanese Canadian.
Because drag has been such an important way for Knix to foster community as we all continue to work from home, we were so excited to chat with Priyanka about the ways she creates community through drag. While she gets ready with Knix, we caught up with Priyanka to dish on all things drag, the importance of chosen family, and what she's been up to after snatching the Drag Race Crown. Meet Priyanka.
PRIYANKA!!!!!
OMG! It’s been so hectic but in a fun iconic way. All us drag performers LOVE PRIDE because it’s such a fun opportunity to work even more than we normally do over the year. It’s also the part of the year where we feel most confident because we’re EVERYWHERE.
Chosen family is the most important. You have to really be vulnerable and open when you’re someone in the 2SLGBTQ+ community, and the same goes for when you’re creating your drag or “chosen” family. A chosen family are the people who let you be you so you can unapologetically learn and grow!
My chosen family has helped me so much. I do have a very supportive biological family, but my chosen family is who I went to first before I ever came out. They were the ones I told I was gay for the first time and the ones who I talked to when I decided to try drag for the first time. They helped me by making me feel like there was no judgement, and that I was able to do whatever I wanted as long as it made me happy.
YES! My two families have officially merged. My family is so open and so supportive. It’s really funny because it was actually ME who was keeping them apart because I wasn’t ready for it yet. Now everyone is one big happy family. My dad even helps my mom with all my merch!
Ugh— this is such a loaded question, but it’s performing live. I actually quit TV to perform on stages in front of live audiences. So when we got hit with a pandemic, I had to go back to being on camera which I love. But there is something about performing live that makes my heart so happy.
Hahahaha I have NEVER performed it yet but when I go back to doing live shows— you know I’lll be performing it and other songs off of my album coming in July!
Follow along with Priyanka here, and shop the look by checking out the Waffle Robe, Luxelift Bodysuit and Shaper Bodysuit!
]]>We recently sat down to chat with our dear friend Liz Trinnear (and our pick for the top of Santa’s Nice List), to learn about her favorite holiday traditions, how she’s adjusting this year, and most importantly— what Polly Pocket has to do with it.
Check out our IGTV to watch Liz turn her daytime Knix look into a glam moment for a Zoom Holiday Party, and read on to learn about her best party trick.
Like many around the world, this holiday season is going to look a lot different from any other year. Sadly, I will not be making it home to Canada for the holidays but I will be sure to have a Christmas morning FaceTime with my brother and his family in Vancouver Island and my parents in Ontario. So incredibly grateful for technology!
Baking and celebrating with family! My mom used to always play Christmas music and do a big holiday baking day where we would make a bunch of different treats and that way we had something in the house to offer guests who would drop in for a holiday beverage, and some extras to drop off to friends and family. This year I'm hoping to prop the phone up on the counter and do a FaceTime baking session with her.
I'm really great at a home pour and I can make up a dance routine, on the spot, in the moment to ANY Robyn song. It's a real treat for party guests. You don't have to dig too deep to find video evidence.
Polly Pocket Starlight Castle Palace. My parents looked EVERYWHERE for it and it was the only thing I asked for on my list that year. My mom spent every lunch break going to the toy store to check if they received it and unfortunately it didn't come in on time for Christmas day but she found it a few days after. Luckily my birthday is 3 weeks after Christmas so it was a perfect surprise.
I am a 25 year old Brooklyn native on a journey to discovering who I am.
I believe that being who you are is your superpower. I believe that leading with your soul and kindness to make this earth special is the ultimate blessing.
Most people would describe me as a goofball that enjoys making people feel special. My time is usually spent understanding my being, content creating, lifestyle blogging, sharing information, volunteering in my community, roaming the street and internet to support amazing brands and really enjoying that everyday looks different. All things creative and colorful would be a perfect way to describe how I view my lifestyle. Everyday I hope to learn something new about myself, my skills and the people around me. This is who I am and it brings me the most joy to be unapologetically free.
Kayla in the Botanical Beauty Padded V-Neck and Leakproof High Rise
This summer NYC is very different due to COVID-19. I spend a lot of my time biking around the city, walking in prospect park and reading new inspiring books. Keeping a routine has been my greatest pursuit this summer and honing into weekend self care.
My ultimate life changing best investment this summer has been my Teva Hurricane sandals. I absolutely wear them with everything, everywhere!
Living colorfully to me means so much. For starters, I am a woman of color and it is important to me to express myself in my physical presence. Color is known to be a mood changer but it is also a great way to own your difference and imaginative side. I view color as a choice to be free.
When I wear color, bold prints and textures I feel my best— like I can conquer the world. I also notice that people tend to be nicer to me when I’m all decked out in awesome colors. They trust you, I think because you aren’t afraid to be yourself and have fun.
The women that I admire aren’t all in the same industry, but ultimately I am attracted to how they transform great ideas, and inspire and motivate young women like myself with the values that they uphold. Here are a few of them!
Michelle Obama: Clearly, haha!
Sheila Bridges: Interior designer
Lora Sheldon: My mentor and movement specialist
Sophia Roe: Chef, plus her life journey with family is so inspiring
Kelly Wearstler : The best interior designer ever
Louise Bourgeois: French-American artist
And all the other women, badass moms, entrepreneurs, superheroes and confident women out there!
I am most proud of myself when I show up for the people around me. I am most proud that when something doesn’t go right or when I make a mistake, I still manage to be kind to myself. Most of my life is spent alone without traditional family roles therefore I always remind myself to be proud of the smallest things. I have remained committed to my growth and I have been rewarded in so many ways for the kindness that I have given out to the world. I am proud of my open heart.
Kayla in the WingWoman and Leakproof Thong.
Thanks Kayla! Check out Kayla's layering tips for Fall, featuring our new Knix colors over on Knix's Instagram.
]]>You see, Julie has been through a lot. She has struggled with chronic illness, anxiety, and depression her entire life, which was severely worsened when she experienced copper toxicity from an IUD at just twenty-two years old. Later, she was diagnosed with lyme disease. We want to know: How does she stays so positive through it all?
Shortly after [having my copper IUD implanted], all these health issues started happening. I was barely sleeping, my appetite was really bad, I gained a lot of weight. I had brain fog, and issues with anxiety and depression. After a few months, I was starting to lose my will to live because I had [all these opportunities lined up for school] and it didn’t make sense to pursue them when I could barely even think and keep myself functioning day-to-day. I had cystic acne, my teeth started chipping, I was losing hair.
I went to see a different doctor and when I told him I had this copper IUD, he told me, “You need to get that out right away if you want to get better.” I went home and googled “copper toxicity” and came across all these forums. I read one woman’s post that was like reading my exact story.
Immediately [after having it removed], I started to feel a sense of relief, but it was the start of a very long journey of detoxing, because the copper was stored in my vital organs and tissues and fat cells and all that stuff. It was crazy: as my hair was growing, it was two different colours. You could literally see the copper leave from the top of my head.
But summer of 2016 was when I got the lyme diagnosis and since then, the lyme has been my main focus. I think people believe that if you catch it early on, it is curable. But because I have no idea when I caught it, I can’t cure it, but I can put it into remission. It’s a lot of accepting that this is a lifestyle to adapt to what’s going on inside my body.
The biggest thing for me is just knowing there have been periods of my life through this whole journey where my quality of life was practically stripped from me. When I was finally able to emerge from that painful physical and mental space, I learned not to take things for granted.
But I don’t live every single day with that lens. I’ve put in a lot of hours at therapy and a lot of that work is focused on mindfulness and working on rewiring my brain to be more neutral or positive. A lot of facing my fears and anxieties head on.
Now, I’m very confident in my voice and the story I have to tell and I just try to live my life by helping people, regardless of what capacity. I learned that I really have to love myself to get through these experiences and that wasn’t a skill that was really taught to me. In order to keep myself alive, I had to learn patience and love and understanding.
It’s kind of like studying anything else. You might have to pick up a book—or a handful of books —and read them. It’s something that you need to practice. It’s different for everyone. For me, self love can be going to Target and buying an outfit because it helps me feel good about how I look. It could be making time for your hobby. In some ways, it’s like dating yourself. Like, I’m going to take myself on this date and go to a concert or to the library to get a book. But it also requires hard work and getting to the root of what you don’t love about yourself and learning to at least be neutral about those things. For me, a lot of it was my outward appearance because when I got sick, I lost my hair, I gained weight, I had acne. So I had to relearn self-love that goes beyond how you look on the outside and work on the inside.
For me, at the nexus of all of this is mental health. That’s where I’m at right now, really working on my mental health and understanding that if you have a happy and healthy mind—that’s not to say you can overcome anxiety and depression by thinking positively—but just understanding that we kind of have this world crisis of not paying enough attention to our mental health. We need to make sure that we are taking time for ourselves to meditate, do yoga, go for walks, dance, whatever it is, to make sure that we can live in the moment.
To learn more about Julie, follow her on Instagram at @chroniclesofyoolie.
]]>You’re kind of famous now! After your fall, you have been featured on websites all over the world. What has that been like?
It’s been surreal. I’m not used to receiving that kind of attention. The event itself still doesn’t feel real … I haven’t processed it yet. I’ve had complete strangers following my progress [on Instagram], and opening up to me and telling me about their experiences, and being quite personal. So I think I will use [those connections] in the future, just keeping the dialogue open with people.
Mentally, how did you manage to hang on for so long? What motivated you to keep going? What did you tell yourself?
I [had been] in a very good place, mentally and emotionally. I had just made a major change in my life: I put my belongings in storage, left my 9-5 behind, and left London to travel and focus on my writing. I was getting freelance work while on the road, and just feeling really free and liberated. I had barely gotten started down this new road, so to suddenly be lying there and to be alone and immobile and in pain, I thought, “This sucks. If I die now, this’ll be a real bummer.” I’ve still got some things I want to do and experiences I want to have and there are still some people I want to see again. I was actually picturing all of the people in my life that I love, sitting around and having conversations with them. Those are the things that make me feel very much like I want to have that again with those people. I’m not just gonna give up. I’m not ready for this all to be over. I was actually angry.
I had a lot of moments of berating myself, like, “The dumbest thing you’ve ever done was stand on that rock.” And I was thinking of the people in my life who have succeeded and thinking that I’ve just failed, and this is the ultimate failure. But I tried not to let myself go too far down that road. Negative thoughts will make you lose hope and I knew that once you lose hope, you will die. It’s hope that keeps us all alive. That’s the thing that I was holding onto.
Tell us about your injuries and the recovery process. What has it been like and how long do you have to go?
I could barely speak when they brought me in. I was massively dehydrated. My whole mouth had swollen up, and my lips were so dry they were sticking to my teeth. They had to put me on a drip for two weeks to hydrate me and get my kidneys back to normal. I was drinking urine to stay alive and that does do a lot of damage to your kidneys. So they fixed me up in hospital and thankfully I’m doing fine, in terms of my internal health.
But I shattered my pelvis. And I had to have an operation on my left hip where the biggest break was. And then there were a bunch of other fractions in my sacrum, but those are healing on their own. I also had a lot of nerve damage in my foot which has been some of the worst of the recovery pain actually. I found out later when I had more X-rays done that I’d actually fractured my foot, which also contributed to the pain.
Since then, pain has been my biggest obstacle. It has stopped me from sleeping. The combination of the pain and the strong medications that I was on — I had no appetite. I lost a lot of weight and a lot of muscle. I had never heard of Percocets before and I didn’t realize how serious and addictive they were. Then, after two months on them, the doctors suddenly announced, “You need to come off that.” I tried to cut right back on it and I was so unwell. The feeling is horrible. So I spoke to the doctor again and now I’m on a much slower, gradual, weaning process. The mornings are hard, before I’ve had my first Percocet. My whole body starts to ache and shake, my head swimming, it’s very very unpleasant. It’s quite scary to suddenly realize you’re addicted to something just like that, and that there’s not really a lot of guidance out there. So that’s been a huge struggle for me as well. You think, “Well, I’m not going to get addicted to that,” and suddenly I’m itching for it.
Has your relationship with your body changed? If so, how?
I really appreciate it more—the things that it can do, rather than what it looks like. I feel more chilled out about it and definitely really grateful. At one point I thought, “Okay, what if they rescue me and I can never walk again?” So I’m grateful. I’ll make a full recovery. It’ll be slow going; it’s going be a year at least until I’m active again, but how lucky am I to be in that position? I’m definitely all about comfort now. I’m less worried about how I look and more worried about how I feel, especially when I’m in pain.
On that note, can you tell us how your Knix bra plays into all of this?
I had an Evolution Bra, which I loved. I’m a G cup (a Knix 7), so all my life I’ve had to buy bras from specialty shops, with lots of underwire. I really liked this one and I was amazed that it works and it gives me the support I need. So I was wearing it when I was hiking. By the time they wheeled me into the ICU, I was filthy. They removed my boots, they had to throw away my socks, they cut all my clothes off. When they came to cut my bra off, I found myself croaking, “This is my favourite bra—is there any way you can not cut it off?” The nurses had to delicately reach under my torso to unhook it, but then they announced, “We’ve saved it! We’ve saved the bra!" It does make me laugh that that’s what I was thinking after being wheeled into the intensive care unit. And you know, I’m wearing it now.
You’re a world traveler and quite the adventurer. Will you continue to travel and hike when you’re healed?
I will still hike again. I will still hike by myself. A lot of people have said to me, “Well that’s what happens when you hike by yourself.” And I think that’s a bit naive and condescending. And I get a lot of people saying because I’m female that I shouldn’t hike alone, as if somehow I should not do the thing that I love unless I have an escort, which is ridiculous. Walking by yourself is one of life’s joys and it’s about taking the necessary precautions, and that was something that I didn’t do.
But I will finish the hike that I started.
Anything you want to say to other solo female travellers in the wake of your experience?
I read some comments on articles from people who assume I’m some hapless tourist who didn’t know the dangers that come with being in the desert. And actually, I have hiked a lot and I know what I’m doing. But experience is not going to save you. Experience doesn’t give you any kind of guarantee that you won’t hurt yourself. So to any women who love being in the outdoors, of course use common sense, keep your wits about you, and go prepared, but don't let anyone else dictate what you are capable of and how far you can go. Let’s face it, there’s nothing more liberating than doing something that someone says you can’t do.
]]>“Comfort and confidence, to me, go hand in hand.”
]]>Sarah dropped by Knix HQ to check out some new products, and we chatted with her about stretch marks, body positivity, and what she thinks of the new shades.
“The first time I took a picture with my stretch marks showing, I remember that I just wanted others to feel free from what felt like shame, and be proud of what our bodies were capable of. I was shaking, nervous, and truly baring my soul and body when I clicked "post.” The response has been nothing but amazing. It freed me as much as it freed others. We were truly not alone.”
“I believe that body positivity stems from having power and authority over our bodies. [We have] the right to say ‘I want to change because I'm worth it’ or to say ‘I accept my beautiful body because I love it.’”
“Stop overthinking it. Stop putting excuses and roadblocks into your path. There are a million different ways to go about a life change, whether it's weight loss, embracing your body, or taking on something new. It's scary, and you have to let that fear fuel you a little, instead of crippling you. It's okay not to know all the answers or not to know what you're doing.”
“You can't be comfortable if you're not confident, too. Knix became this secret weapon I had, to wear comfortable underwear that transitioned from work to the gym, casual and dressy.”
“I typically wear very neutral colors, so the idea of some neutral and some pops of color will really shake things up. I'm looking forward to seeing the new shades in my wardrobe!”
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When I look back, I wish I had had a female mentor in the performing arts space. I had to learn the hard way through trial and error. As a result, I have had the opportunity to help several young women pursue acting and [have mentored them to teach them] what not to do.
Um, “corporate artist”?
I call myself a corporate artist because I never really did the “starving artist” thing. I’ve always had a corporate job. I went into finance because that’s one industry that definitely makes money. I got licensed to trade and started working on Bay Street and acting at the same time. If I booked a commercial and it was one day on set then I would take a vacation day from my corporate work. I would tell people in the acting world that I was a temp, because if I was seen as having a full time job I wasn’t seen as a “real” artist. Then I would tell people in the corporate world that acting is just for fun, just a hobby. I felt like I was living this secret life.
Between acting and finance you’ve navigated the waters of two of the most infamous boys’ clubs in the world.
There’s a lot of good guys out there. That said, all the stuff that’s happened in Hollywood that has come out recently has happened to me. Not to the same degree, maybe, but it’s definitely happened. A director once called me after shooting a short, short scene saying what a great job I did and that we should go out for a drink. Then I found out that director, who’s married, is known to hit on tons of girls that are new to the industry. So that was really disappointing. I thought I did a great job and had a great day on set. Then he kind of ruined it with that.
Then there’s the world of finance….
Bay Street is male-dominated for sure. I took all my courses to make sure I was that much better [at my job] and that much more respected, but I also remember never wanting to wear short skirts or dress too sexy because I never wanted it to be about them looking at me or hitting on me. I wanted it to be about the actual meeting and what we were discussing. I know some would say you should be able to dress how you want but I remember wearing turtle necks and not wearing makeup because I wanted to be seen as an equal.
I ended up leaving Bay Street to join my husband in running his company, Aux Mode. He had 22 part-time employees -- primarily men. I pointed that out to my husband and he agreed we needed to find some more capable women to join the company. Three years later, we now have five full-time female and three full-time male employees.
What’s the best thing about being a woman in 2018?
You can actually feel and smell the change coming. Things are starting to change for us. We will be seen as equal. It’s the collectiveness—the strong bond between us, whether we know each other or not. We are standing up and finally having a voice. Body image is starting to change as well, which is really exciting because nobody wants their daughter growing up in a world where not eating is seen as the cool thing to do.
On the food note, pizza or tacos?
Depends on my mood. If I am tired or had a bad day, pizza. If I’m feeling good and energized the winner right now is braised short rib tacos and fish tacos.
Share a tip: what’s the app that serves your busy life the best?
The Green P parking app. It’s awesome. I am either parking for a work meeting, at an acting audition or at an appointment for my kids, and I never know how long they could take. The convenience of plugging into the app and reloading more time if I need it makes my life so much easier.
The best thing about female friends?
I always made really strong female connections—especially in industries that were male dominated—as we really supported one another and stuck together. And the female friends I’ve made in the “mom community” have been really special. We are like a sports team, working through all stages of our kids’ lives together. Female friends are great communicators. We can talk for hours and never get bored. There is always enough time for each other to get down to the nitty gritty about what’s happening in life.
Going back to the sentiment of our fashion show last fall, why do you think every woman is an angel?
I felt proud to stand alongside many incredible women of all shapes and sizes celebrating and owning their bodies. We were baring it all to be the change that we want to see for our gender. I think all women can agree that what we see in magazines and in media is not real and it’s not healthy. Those models don’t represent us. This is what I love about Knix: all women are recognized as angels.
What’s your beauty philosophy?
I finished my first half-marathon last year and that made me very cognizant of how I treat my body. I had to focus on eating well, and learning how the body performs if you fuel it nicely is really powerful. It’s that mindset of if you treat yourself well, you’ll get goodness from your body in return. I do that with my skin care now, too. I focus on skin care before makeup. I don’t want to cover up, but think about my body from the inside out. I love companies that put the focus on natural ingredients, like Province Apothecary and REN.
Being beautiful is being confident. There’s no one definition for beauty - everyone is beautiful, and that really shines through if you believe in yourself.
How has running played a role in your relationship to your body?
Running has made me super confident about my body. As a kid, I was the gangly, awkward one — they called me String Bean. I was ashamed of my body. But running made my body stronger. Seeing what my body can do has made me very grateful for my physical self.
Women often struggle to be seen in the tech industry. What has your experience been with that?
I love being able to be feminine, especially in my industry. I used to see that as a disadvantage — I was the only one who’s not the same. But then I had a mindshift where I realized I had an advantage - not in a competitive way, but rather knowing that I bring something different to the table. When I first started in tech I tried to be one of the guys, trying to blend in, but it’s actually being confident in my femininity that enabled me to have more clarity and definition in my career.
]]>Judice showed up with the fiercest nails we’ve ever seen, and looked absolutely ready to kick our asses. She’s a personal trainer and body builder, and we’re pretty much in love.
When do you feel most like yourself?
I’ve really discovered myself while on my fitness journey. I used to hate the way I looked, but it was a matter of taking care of myself and taking time for myself. That kind of self-love made me feel beautiful. I recognized that beauty isn’t just for everyone else, it’s for me. And that’s made other people see me as beautiful, too.
What do you do when you’re struggling with self-confidence?
Because I’m very fit, I often have trouble finding clothes that fit my body. This used to really get me down, but what has helped is realizing that certain clothes are cut to certain body types. It’s the confidence to say, “Hey, I’m me - it’s not that the clothes don’t fit me, it’s that I don’t fit them.”
What do you love about being a woman?
I’ve found all of these sisters through my fitness journey. When I was young, I didn’t really think women were fighting for each other, but now it’s like we’re all on each other’s sides, coming together and supporting each other.
What has helped you feel comfortable in your own skin?
My bodybuilding journey has completely transformed the way I see myself. I love that I can fit so many different roles. I can be super glam, super dolled up, and then be super badass and lift 400lbs. Society wants you to fit into these tiny stereotypes, but you have so many chances throughout the day to break those, and shock people.
]]>As a dancer, I need to rely on my body to get the work done. It’s not a fitness regimen. Dance has given me an appreciation for my body and how it changes. I need to enjoy the movement, so I don’t really think about beauty when I dance. It’s more about confidence. I try to develop that in my everyday life, too.
We spend so much time on beauty, thinking about beauty, that if we took that time and did what we wanted to do, we’d have more time for ourselves. There’s a lot of pressure and products out there and in your face, so I’ve had to learn what works for me. It helps to be an artist where you can save that for the stage, so in everyday life I don’t have to feel like I have to do the makeup and hair and all that fancy stuff - it becomes a treat.
I don’t fit the standards of my industry, and neither do a lot of the dancers in my collective. So it’s been great to reclaim the power of my body and how it can entertain. I draw on that strength when I need it.
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