Did Billy Porter Take a Dig at the Royals with His Oscar Dress

Hollywood Royalty, Billy Porter wore a custom made Giles Deacon gown inspired by Kensington Palace. An Inspiration or a DIG?

Seems like yesterday that

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She’s a winged goddess, children! 💛 What a night it was. @gilesdeacon_ custom couture, sweeties! 🎥: @santiagraphy #gettyentertainment #gettyvideo

A post shared by Billy Porter (@theebillyporter) on Feb 9, 2020 at 9:45pm PST

But Billy my KWEEN never disappoints. He rose like a phoenix from his eleganza ashes in a custom made Giles Deacon gown. The distinguished couture piece beams with a high-neck, feathered gold foil bodice and a voluminous skirt inspired by Kensington Palace. The Palace is the royal residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge William and Kate.

For the uninitiated, Giles Deacon is an English couturier and a favourite among Royals is famous for his use of wild prints and pop culture references. For the fashion’s favourite child along with stylist Sam Ratelle – he created a 24-karat feathered bodice (very McQueen-esq) with a voluminous ball gown hi-low skirt with an elaborated tapestry print in sunset shade inspired by Kensington Palace.

The Inspiration Behind the Dress

The inspiration behind Billy Porter’s Oscar dress is palace’s gold-domed Cupola Room which is clad in mahogany wood and moldings and has the statues of Roman Gods preserved within. Designer Deacon told NYT, “I love the idea of Billy being this kind of messenger sent from the gods.”

It’s reported that Sam Ratelle had taken a tour of the palace a year ahead of the ceremony and got in touch with the royal couturier for commissioning Billy Porter’s Oscar dress. The entire look was completed with Jimmy Choo platform court shoes and Atlelier Swarovski jewelry.

The Message of the Dress

While some can marvel just at the grandeur of Porter’s dress there’s a more subliminal message behind it. Think of it in this way – a queer black man dressed in royalty is now challenging the perception of who can be royal. Rattelle told NYT, “it’s meaningful for him (Porter) to both celebrate and subvert that perception.”

Though the dress is in making for about a year now but it comes at a time when Britain’s Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have stepped down as official Royals. Claiming Meghan Markle, an American, divorced woman of colour, wasn’t accepted by the British Royals and media.

Yes, one can argue that but I’ll leave it as Kween’s foresight.