Exclusive: Billy Porter to Be New York Fashion Week: Men’s Ambassador
“Pose” star Billy Porter will be this season’s sole official ambassador for New York Fashion: Men’s, running from Feb. 4 to 6.
Porter is a Tony Award winner for his role as Lola in “Kinky Boots.” He has also appeared in Broadway shows such as “Miss Saigon” and “Grease.” He was nominated for a Golden Globe this year for Ryan Murphy’s FX series “Pose,” on which he plays the character Pray Tell.
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“I have always been a lover of fashion,” Porter said. “This is a penultimate occurrence in my life because as a kid, the fashion industry was something that I enjoyed and wanted to be part of.”
Porter’s love of dramatic fashion has been evident on the awards circuit “Pose” has taken him on this year. He began working with a stylist, Sam Ratelle, six months ago.
“I told my stylist, ‘There should be a walking piece of art, every time I show up.’ It’s another way to express myself creatively,” Porter said. “I like to say that I am classic, contemporary. I’m the kind of person who — I’m not a fast-fashion person. I would prefer to have something that I can have forever.”
Porter’s duties for NYFW:M include attending shows and interacting with designers and their teams.
“This is my first time out, so it’s a little overwhelming,” he said. “I’m really excited to be introduced to all the new designers who I don’t know. I find the younger talent to be much more open to experimentation and gender fluidity, which is something that I am really interested in as well. I’m interested in connecting with designers who I can collaborate with. ”
Previous ambassadors of the week, as coordinated by the CFDA, include musicians Fabolous and J. Balvin, actor Colton Haynes, singer-songwriter Børns, YouTuber Joey Graceffa and NFL wide receiver Dale Moss. Porter is the first time the CFDA has had a sole ambassador.
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