| EVENT REPORT 02.23.09 11:23 AM |
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Elton John's Recession-Appropriate Gala Still Glitters—and Offers Guests a Chance to Hit Vanity Fair, Too
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 | Elton John's black-and-white Oscar party
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage |
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With Vanity Fair’s party canceled last year on account of the writers' strike, Elton John’s bash rose to the top of the Oscar-night clutter. But the reemergence of the magazine’s party this go-round did little to quash the glitter of last night's 17th annual Elton John AIDS Foundation benefit at the Pacific Design Center—and neither did the woeful economy, which necessitated careful budget review, but no cuts that looked jarring to guests.
John and husband David Furnish hosted the viewing dinner and party, and Chopard, Jo and Raffy Manoukian, and VH1 were the evening’s cosponsors. Foundation executive director Scott Campbell oversaw the event, tapping Virginia Fout again this year to produce it.
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RELATED TOPICS
Award Season, Oscars, Elton John AIDS Foundation, Raphael Saadiq, Chopard, VH1, Ciroc, Sterling Vineyards, Budgets, Vanity Fair |
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| EVENT REPORT 02.23.09 11:22 AM |
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Oscar Governors Ball Chooses Zen-Inspired Understatement Over Splashy Opulence
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When an economy of unprecedented lousiness met one of the the most traditionally lavish parties of the year last night, the result was a Zen-looking Academy Awards Governors Ball marked by restraint, compared with the drama of past years. The party took over the grand ballroom at Hollywood & Highland following the awards at the Kodak Theatre in the same complex.
The classic elements of air, fire, wood, and earth inspired this year's event, which Cheryl Cecchetto of Sequoia Productions produced with ball chair Cheryl Boone Isaacs. This was Boone Isaacs' seventh year as chair, and Cecchetto has worked on the event for more than two decades. "In this economy, we wanted to go with a pared-down look, but keep it elegant and beautiful," said Cecchetto, who drew some of her inspiration from a teahouse in Beijing. She characterized the look and feel as a "marriage of simplicity and beauty." Boone Isaacs added that the use of organic elements in the design was "like a breath of fresh air," and something "totally different"—an important difference from past years, you might say, in light of the glum atmosphere in the world outside the ballroom.
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RELATED TOPICS
Award Season, Oscars, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Sterling Vineyards, Patron, Ultimat Vodka, Moët & Chandon, Governors Ball |
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| NEWS 01.26.09 4:31 PM |
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Oscar Governors Ball Preview: Bamboo, Sushi, Bonsai Trees
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 | A Governors Ball tabletop
Photo: BizBash |
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In a year marked by tough economic times, an over-the-top, glittery, sequined Oscar ball might not seem like the most appropriate choice. That's one reason you can expect to see a Zen-looking party space inspired by the elements of water, air, fire, wood, and earth for the academy's annual Governors Ball following this year's Academy Awards on February 22.
Cheryl Cecchetto of Sequoia Productions will again produce the party—which will take to the grand ballroom at Hollywood & Highland following the awards at the Kodak Theatre in the same complex—with ball chair Cheryl Boone Isaacs. It's Boone Isaacs' seventh year as chair, and Cecchetto has worked on the event for more than two decades. "I've always wanted to work with an East-meets-West Asian theme," said Cecchetto at a press preview of the decor earlier today. "In this economy, we wanted to go with a pared-down look, but still elegant and beautiful."
Boone Isaacs added, "One of our things is that we want to make each year completely different from the last. [The use of the organic] elements is kind of like a breath of fresh air—totally different."
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RELATED TOPICS
Oscars, Award Season, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Sterling Vineyards, Moët & Chandon, Patron |
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