No outfit created as much buzz at this year’s Golden Globe Awards than the feathery white tuxedo worn by actor Billy Porter.
And local fans of television and fashion might be pleased to know the outfit was designed by Greenport’s Alex Vinash.
The Argentinian-born designer, who runs L’Boutique at American Beech in Stirling Square, the restaurant complex owned by his partner Brent Pelton, started drafting the custom tuxedo gown for the “Pose” star in early 2019 — before the actor even knew he’d be nominated for best actor. The final creation consisted of a white button-up, satin trousers, tuxedo jacket and a dramatic train covered in white feathers and Swarovski crystals. The swan-like train was so long it needed to be carried with Porter down the red carpet.
“I was thinking that feathers are something that you don’t see much on men,” Vinash said. “I wanted to keep the shoulders masculine and use the silhouette of a man, but also have some fun and have something more feminine on the bottom.”
Porter, a fashion icon who hosted the red carpet show at the Academy Awards for ABC in 2019, paired the look with Jimmy Choo boots and Tiffany & Co. jewelry. Vinash even designed the suit-gown hybrid with a thoughtful detail for after the red carpet — the feathered train could be unzipped and removed for sitting comfortably in the ceremony.
“It definitely is my best design that I did for a red carpet, that’s for sure,” he said. “And it’s even more special that I did a red carpet with a man, because I usually do more women’s wear. So it was super, super special.”
Porter’s ruffly entrance earned praise from fashion critics at major media outlets and was also picked up on quickly by fans on Twitter. Hollywood icon Meryl Streep even complimented Porter on the outfit after the two embraced at the event.
