Billy Porter has become the king of attention-grabbing red carpet outfits. The actor was carried into the Met Gala by six shirtless men covered in gold and made headlines by wearing a black velvet tuxedo dress to the Oscars.
It was at the 73rd annual Tony Awards this weekend though, where the actor really brought his A-game.
Porter recreated the much talked-about tuxedo dress, this time in red, pink and white with a dramatic tulle train.
The frothy creation was designed by Celestino Couture, a Mexican-American designer who specialises in upcycling materials for eco-conscious garments. Porter's fabric of choice? The red velvet stage curtain that hung on Broadway during his Tony Award-winning performance in Kinky Boots, which closed in April 2019.
But, Porter's look had a more powerful message than just nostalgia.
Speaking to Hollywood Reporter on the red carpet, the actor explained the embroidery, which included 30,000 Swarovski crystals, was a rallying cry for a woman's right to choose abortion. "At the fitting, we spoke about making a pattern on the train that was in the shape of a uterus, but not obvious, of course. And I thought it was awesome because women’s rights are under attack right now. I’m an advocate for all who are disenfranchised. None of us are free until we’re all free!
“I really want to make sure that I’m showing up for all of the disenfranchised people I can so that we can find power in our unity. This government is trying to take away the woman’s right to choose and that’s unacceptable. No!”
Another red carpet win for Mr Porter? Most definitely.
