Antiques Roadshow

GUEST

This gown is one of my favorites because-- and probably the most iconic, which is Billy Porter's kind of tuxedo gown at the Oscars.

APPRAISER

Absolutely. Just an amazing piece, and it's so inclusive in its design and eye-catching when he appeared on the red carpet.

GUEST

Yeah.

APPRAISER

And it's just a really amazing piece.

GUEST

I start with a sketch, we go into a pattern, we get fabric. That's pretty old school of making clothes, there's no big machines. We have seamstresses that are upstairs right now making the clothes by hand. So it's a really beautiful process, actually, that I think is kind of a dying art. (sewing machine humming)

APPRAISER

So, labor, time, what would you estimate your cost to be for something like the Billy Porter outfit?

GUEST

I think what was the most expensive was the yardage of the silk velvet...

APPRAISER

Mm-hmm.

GUEST

...which is probably one of the most expensive fabrics. So I think we were probably into that dress for maybe $7,500, in that world.

APPRAISER

Right.

GUEST

Which isn't crazy...

APPRAISER

Mm-hmm.

GUEST

But then it's kind of like, okay, then Billy wore it at the Oscars, what would I ever charge for this? You know, it's a hard thing.

APPRAISER

Your insurance value, I would think with that provenance and the uniqueness of the outfit

GUEST

Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER

that you'd probably want to insure it for at least double that.

GUEST

Yeah.

APPRAISER

And it's the kind of thing, you know, maybe if it were sold at a charity auction that also tied into Billy Porter-- the sky is the limit.

GUEST

Okay, good to know. If I ever sell it.

APPRAISER

I can't imagine that you would, no.

GUEST

Maybe, maybe really long down the road. Some of these pieces, really also just for me, like such great memories, it's hard to get rid of them.

APPRAISER

They're like your babies, they're your children.

GUEST

Yeah, little children.

APPRAISER

You created them, yeah.