Badgley Mischka making last-minute preps for Oscars Red Carpet

BySandy A. Kenyon WABC logo
Sunday, February 24, 2019
Badgley Mischka making last-minute preps for Oscars Red Carpet
Sandy Kenyon reports live from Hollywood.

LOS ANGELES -- Their creations have graced the Oscars stage for more than a quarter of a century but Mark Badgley and James Mischka work right up to Oscar Sunday to get dresses ready for top talent like Ashley Judd.

Badgley and Mischka said it always comes down to the last minute. And hard work is no guarantee their designs will actually get worn.

"It's really a big deal now and a lot goes into it, so there's a lot of second guessing, but that's what makes it fun too," Badgley said.

The Oscars Red Carpet has become a global marketing opportunity and the Hollywood Reporter says a star can get paid up to $200,000 to wear a single dress one time.

"For us it's not a commercial transaction, when we do a dress for an actress," Mischka said. "We don't pay them. It's a personal transaction, not a commercial one."

At the Oscars, those who are presenting typically show restraint.

"A lot of times women who are presenting don't really want to steal the show," Badgley said.

"You're more likely to see a crazy dress on a nominee than you are on a presenter," Mischka said.

And judging by the Golden Globes, less is definitely not more.

"Fashion is sort of at a height of frivolity and decadence," Mischka said.

"I think bright colors really help celebrities stand out a lot. It isn't something we've seen a lot of lately," Badgley said of the bright colors expected on the Oscars Red Carpet.

But, when it comes to determining if a dress is a success, not much has changed: both Badgley and Mischka say if you look at all of the Oscar dresses from the past, they all have a timeless appeal.

RELATED: Everything to know about Oscars 2019

Don't miss the Oscars LIVE on Sunday, Feb. 24 at 8 p.m. ET | 5 p.m. PT on ABC.