Photo by Raen Badua
Youtube’s most-watched female streamer has her first ever magazine spread on Vogue Philippines.
“I never thought it would be Vogue!” the streaming phenom says on a behind-the-scenes vlog during her shoot for Vogue Philippines. Rachell “Rae” Hofstetter, known by her 400 million and counting viewers on Youtube as Valkyrae, is widely considered one of the most successful and influential streamers and content creators in the world.
Since her start in 2014, Rae has been amassing millions of followers across various platforms, from Twitch to Youtube and Tiktok. She’s also won 2020 Content Creator of the Year at The Game Awards, 2021 Gaming Creator of the Year at the Adweek Creator Visionary Awards, and a spot on Forbes 30 Under 30 Games list.
Photographs by Raen Badua. Styling by Renee De Guzman. Makeup: Mylah Morales. Hair: Yuma Bastet. Art Director: Jann Pascua. Production Design: Monica Baronia. Photographer’s Assistant: Miles Caliboso. Stylist’s Assistant: Dion Bleu Drake
Just last year, Rae announced an unprecedented move to step away from streaming in order to focus on other pursuits, citing an interest in fashion and a desire to “up her style.” For the May issue of Vogue Philippines, Rae managed just that.
For her first-ever print magazine feature, Rae dawned embellished power suits, a billowing feathered dress, and a silver knit cardigan and skirt set that had her looking right out of the likes of Zenon: Z3. Melding her 2000s sci-fi It Girl looks and penchant for gaming, Rae posed with vintage gaming equipment, complete with controllers, Apple’s signature translucent green clamshell iBook, and a handheld camcorder.
According to fashion associate Renee De Guzman, the styling behind Rae’s shoot was largely tied to her own memories of growing up as a gamer. “Nostalgia was a starting point for me,” De Guzman says. “At a young age, I’ve always been involved with playing video games because of my brothers. I grew up with the Nintendo 64, camcorders, and of course, the big old televisions.”
These items were similarly reflected in Rae’s beginnings. According to her, video games were always a way to cope, serving as an escape from tension at home and problems in school. “My mom is the one who got me into video games, and if she never got me into video games at a young age, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” she discussed on a stream.
Her background and personality were always key aspects behind the styling for her editorial. “Rae’s overall persona was what I aimed to reflect on this feature because of how impactful variety streamers are even beyond the stream,” De Guzman explains. “I simply wanted people to see Rae and her radiating positive energy. As someone who is multifaceted, I wanted to showcase both entities–Rae and Valkyrae.”
