In January, the Walrus Foundation hosted its annual gala at the Fermenting Cellar in Toronto. The event paid homage to the Canadian city, and the skyline appeared in imagery at the bar.
At the Walrus Foundation gala, the shape of the city skyline also appeared in lights along one wall of the venue.
At the Walrus Foundation Gala, tabletops were decked with miniature renderings of the Toronto skyline, created in paper by artist Kalpna Patel.
Screens printed with the New York City skyline enclosed the entry hallway that led to the reception space at the 2014 Robin Hood Foundation Benefit in New York. David Stark Design and Production designed the event.
For a P.C.M.A. event in Chicago in January 2015, Kehoe Designs created a mirrored bar with a backdrop in the shape of the Chicago skyline. Pink and blue lights bathed the structure. The event took place at the Museum of Science and Industry.
Academy governor Jeffrey Kurland worked with longtime producer Cheryl Cecchetto and Sequoia Productions to produce and design the Governors Ball, which drew 1,500 invited guests to a room that was decorated in a blush-colored palette.
The look for this year's Governors Ball was influenced by the caricature-decked walls of Sardi’s and Brown Derby restaurants. Decor included more than 170 commissioned pieces showcasing present-day and historic Hollywood icons rendered in black and white drawings, which were displayed gallery style.
Mark Held of Mark’s Garden returned as the ball's floral vendor, designing highly stylized sculptures using white flowers like calla lilies, gardenias, ranunculus, phalaenopsis orchids, and succulents. He used about 10,000 blooms in total, flying them in from Holland, South America, and Mexico at the last minute for freshness.
Having moved years ago from a seated-dinner format, the ball once again had a menu from chef Wolfgang Puck of more than 50 dishes, including hors d’oeuvres and small-plate passed entrées. Among the many options were sriracha-candied macadamia nuts; braised short rib with cauliflower puree and golden raisin puffed Thai rice; white grape almond gazpacho; rye berry risotto with peas and asparagus; and poke, stone crab, made-to-order sushi, and other raw bar items served atop illuminated ice blocks. Keeping with Puck’s annual offerings, some of the menu items were presented in the shape of Oscar statuettes, such as smoked-salmon Oscars, and 14-karat-gold chocolate Oscars for dessert. Ball chair Jeffrey Kurland, who is a costume designer, designed the staff uniforms; the event had an army of more than 900 event staff.
Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews performed with his band Orleans Avenue at the ball. The evening also featured husband-and-wife DJs DJ M.O.S. and DJ Kiss, who spun an array of music for the crowd.
The Vanity Fair party included a complex custom build with five months of planning: The entry and exits featured 15 oversize red lanterns, each 20 feet high, illuminating the historic façade of the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. Inside, guests moved through a passageway that connected the building to a platform that filled an entire city block before coming out onto the arrivals carpet.
The main party space included a 30-foot-high glass wall facing Beverly Hills City Hall, which was specially lit for the occasion. The centerpiece of the party space, an 80-foot-long custom chandelier made from 500 translucent triangles, hung from the ceiling at irregular heights. The fixture was illuminated by moving lights from above in color schemes that varied throughout the night. The space included a 60-foot-long illuminated silver bar and paneled wood walls, and two billboard-size photographs from from the magazine’s archives decorated the room. The main party space opened onto a balcony with steps that descended onto the entry plaza and garden of City Hall, which included casual seating and a bar.
The circular dining room included wood-paneled walls installed with large flat screens for viewing the broadcast and suede banquettes around the perimeter. Lighting came from an oculus-like fixture in the center of the ceiling, as well as from candlelight, wall sconces, and table lamps fitted with custom shades showcasing photographs from the Vanity Fair archives—including several of this year’s nominated actors. More than 1,400 lighting fixtures were installed over seven days; it was the party’s biggest lighting designs ever.
For the third year in a row, Mark Seliger took portraits of guests exclusively for Instagram. The magazine partnered with Carol production designer Judy Beckett to design the studio.
Chef Thomas Keller created the event’s menu. After dinner, the tables were removed from the dining room and a central bar was installed to transform the space into a cocktail area, presented by American Airlines.
The 24th annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards viewing party, hosted by Sir Elton John and David Furnish, took over West Hollywood Park, with sponsorship from Bulgari, M.A.C Cosmetics, Neuro Drinks, and Diana Jenkins. In a boldly colorful dinner tent accented by red decor and tabletops, a live auction featured items such as a Bulgari Serpenti pavé diamond necklace, a five-day vacation at Steven Tyler’s Hawaiian retreat, and tickets to the Vanity Fair party later that evening. Over the past 23 years, the annual event has raised more than $350 million.
Guests arrived at the viewing party on a white arrivals carpet surrounded by a rainbow frame.
Red tulips topped the tables, and chef Gordon Ramsay served a five-course meal for the fourth consecutive year.
Heavy white draping marked the walkway within the party; simple lightbulb fixtures hung overhead.
Among the desserts at the after-party were popular espresso milkshakes topped with mini doughnuts on straws. Other items included shortbread cookies baked in the form of pink AIDS ribbons and chocolate mousse decorated with Oscar statues.
Designed by Rolex and produced by Event Eleven, the Oscars' backstage greenroom was designed to be reminiscent of a 20th-century private home in Hollywood. Warm tones of walnut wood, beige leather, and Venetian stucco marked the main room. A bar had a mirrored glassware rack framed in bronze.
A floor-to-ceiling light box lent the illusion of a picture window with a panoramic view of Los Angeles.
Essence magazine hosted its ninth annual Black Women in Hollywood luncheon on Thursday—a chance to gather and honor a group of primarily African-American women in the midst of the Oscars’ diversity crisis. Honorees included Tracee Ellis Ross, Debbie Allen, and Nina Shaw. Essence’s Candace Montgomery and Caravents’ Cara Kleinhaut—longtime partners on the event—created the luncheon with a color-blocked stage set. “The event's foundation is so strong and we've spent a lot of time [building] the quality,” Montgomery said. “Ultimately, we are just trying to maintain that level of excellence.”
The overall look and feel this year was a modern, graphic approach, with a bold marine blue, gold, black, and white palette. Vibrant flowers topped tables in the dining room as well as in adjoining cocktail space.
A lip bar from sponsor L'Oréal bore a custom portrait backdrop, surrounded by a high-gloss black and gold frame. In addition to lip shades, guests picked up the event's signature overstuffed—and extremely heavy—gift bag created by Gift Bags by Rachael as they left.
Vanity Fair's Social Club returned to the scene for the third consecutive year, this time at Platform, a soon-to-open creative space in Culver City. The event included programming like panels, one-on-one conversations, and discussions with social influencers about the impact and future of social media in Hollywood and beyond. The club provided a venue for bloggers and digital media types to write and work while in town for the week of the Oscars.
As an engaging way of distributing swag, the Vanity Fair Social Club asked visitors to photograph items they wanted from a gift bar, post the photos to social media using relevant hashtags, and then claim their items after staffers verified their posts.
The event splashed its hashtag on every available surface, including floors, lanyards, and the building's elevator.
Global Green hosted a February 24 event at Mr. C Beverly Hills with a green carpet that nodded to the organization’s green initiatives. Guests dined on Cipriani cuisine at earth-toned—but glittering—tables. Stevie Wonder performed at the event, where marquee-style lettering spelled out Global Green.
Officially part of the event, supporters of Global Green were on site protesting for a more sustainable and eco-friendly environment.
The 11th annual Oscar Wilde event took place on February 25 at J.J. Abrams’s Bad Robot production company in Santa Monica, with event management by the O'Neill Group. More than 450 guest came out to see the likes of James Corden, Daisy Ridley, and Lenny Abrahamson honored in the indoor-outdoor space, where—aptly—Guinness and Teelings Whiskey flowed freely, and the food by Kensington Caterers included beer-battered fish and chips and stout-marinated beef. Senovva projected sponsor logos, video, and more on the building's existing architecture.
Cadillac celebrated the start of the festive weekend on Thursday under a clear tent decked with illuminated orbs at the Chateau Marmont, with production from Event Eleven. (Cadillac was the official vehicle sponsor of the Academy Awards, and, in addition to the event, the brand debuted a new series of ads during the telecast.) Celebrities and V.I.P.s were also chauffeured to the event in the CT6, the brand’s full-size sedan. For understated event decor typical of events hosted at the Chateau, monochromatic calla lilies sat alongside logo glass LED candle holders. DJ Michelle Pesce spun for the crowd.
Smartwater hosted an intimate dinner to celebrate Jennifer Aniston’s support of St. Jude Children’s Hospital as the latest installment of W Hotels Insider Collective. The private event held at W Hollywood with chef Michael Voltaggio also celebrated the launch of the new Smartwater sparkling. The Gathery handled production, which included a monochromatic and eye-catching display of illuminated white balloons.
With Essence providing black women in Hollywood with their own event, there was one event focused on the men: The Icon Mann dinner took place on Friday at Mr. C, with sponsorship from Lexus, SAG-Aftra, Variety, and Diageo. Idris Elba, Boris Kodjoe, Roland Martin, Malcolm Jamal Warner, and Evan Ross were among the attendees. William P. Miller for WP Miller Special Events produced the event for the gents, where tabletop decor was among the masculine details. Instead of using table numbers, each table was curated in honor of a notable historic black man—including Nelson Mandela, Malcom X, and Fela Kuti—and had memorabilia significant to that person’s legacy. Miller called it a “subtle approach to engage conversation amongst those in attendance [that] they have the power within to carry the torch.” Additionally, soapstone sculptures by South African artist Tendayi Guwamombe were intended to signify strength, solidarity, and family; the 500-pound sculptures were imported from South Africa for the event. Attallah Shabazz, daughter of Malcolm X, served as the keynote speaker.
People magazine and the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s official Screen Actors Guild Awards gala got a 1920s Hollywood theme. Decorating the party space were images from commercial artist of the period Batiste Madelna, as well as portraits from glamour photographer George Hurell.
At the Oscars Governors Ball, marquee lettering served as a backdrop for an understated bar.
HBO’s Golden Globes party had a "winter garden” theme that showed up in all-white flowers as well as projections and linens.
In January, the Walrus Foundation hosted its annual gala at the Fermenting Cellar in Toronto. The event paid homage to the Canadian city, and the skyline appeared in imagery throughout the event. Tabletops were decked with miniature renderings of the Toronto skyline, created in paper by artist Kalpna Patel.
The Women’s Committee for the Corcoran Gallery of Art hosted its 60th annual Corcoran Ball on April 17 at George Washington University Museum and the Textile Museum in Washington. Design Foundry suspended strings of pink butterflies above the dance floor as part of the metamorphosis theme.
“My goal was to create a Game of Thrones museum,’ explained Butchavitz. Images by Lighting helped create a moody, winter-like environment, and spotlighted the event’s Game of Thrones-style paintings, sculptures, photography, textiles, and more. Paper costumes inspired by the show's costumer designer, Michele Clapton, were highlighted in display cases throughout the event.
Town & Country Event Rentals carpeted the entire 40,000-square-foot rooftop, and also supplied dining tables, chairs, and other rentals.
One of the most popular events of Emmys weekend was Fox Broadcasting’s elegant after-party, held on Sunday night at Vibiana. FX, 20th Century Fox TV, and National Geographic joined in, which meant the party drew star-studded casts from shows such as Fargo, Atlanta, and Genius. Yifat Oren handled the design, which featured a massive balloon installation and starry decor hanging over the historic venue. Screens at one end of the large venue showed the Emmys telecast and promoted various Fox shows.
Pilar Guzmán and Chris Mitchell hosted an intimate Mexico-inspired dinner, in conjunction with Moët Hennessy’s Volcan De Mi Tierra tequila, at the Amagansett home of MSNBC host JJ Ramberg and her architect husband Scott Glass on July 15.
Decor included 2,000 yards of linens in elegant color tones including Oyster Metallic Mesh, Platinum Gemstone, Champagne Metallic Nusilk, Bronzine Nusilks, Coffee Bark Taffetas, Antique Ivory Taffetas, and Champagne Halo Circle.
“It was nonstop history, but it was presented with very cutting-edge, modern materials,” explained Cecchetto. “So I consistently used lucite to give the feeling of that was then and this is now.”
Flowers from longtime collaborator Mark's Garden included 5,000 succulents mixed with roses and ranunculus arranged in gold and copper containers. The flowers will later be planted at the Motion Picture Television Fund.
The luxury car brand also hosted its annual Oscar celebration on Thursday night at Chateau Marmont, drawing a crowd of celebrities including Allison Janney, Tiffany Haddish, and Sarah Silverman. Event Eleven handled production and design.
The Crispin Rosé hard cider bar displayed bottles of the new cider against a backdrop of greenery with oversize hot pink letters that read "Rosé all day." A pink bar was situated under a giant teepee with pink florals.
Giant trees built by Founders Entertainment with balloon arrangements supplied by Katie Balloons sprouted up throughout the festival grounds.
A yellow room, inspired by the flavor lemon ginger, had a hanging installation of balls on strings that offered popular Instagram fodder.
A shelf decorated by votives and plum-colored florals added a romantic touch to the event.
The event featured a photo-worthy floral tunnel created by floral designer Jeff Leatham.
Submitted by CL22 Productions
Gala guests were taken on a technicolor voyage through a modern-day setting that was a combination of “boho chic” and whimsical Venetian carnival. Vibrant-color tents filled with on-theme accessories such as umbrellas, beaded masks, and fringed lace shawls allowed attendees to play dress-up. An opalescent stage featured cascading crystals, multi-colored jewels, and crystal lanterns while eclectic lounges boasted a mix of seating in a variety of patterns and textures like weathered leather and burnout velvets.
"The LED Halo screen at Charity: Water's fund-raiser in San Francisco was unlike anything I've ever seen. It was custom-fabricated for the event to immerse 522 dinner guests into the daily life of residents of Ethiopia who need clean water. The 'halo' consisted of 40,000 pounds of LED wall, truss, lighting, audio equipment, and cables. The LED wall was provided by Global Trend Productions; working with Trademark Event Production, they designed a way to hang this circular wall using the frames of the LED tiles. The second, third, fourth, and fifth layers of LED tile were hung from custom-machined L-brackets to lighten the load. Elle Chan from Trademark said that they couldn't have built such a big wall without the custom fabrication. Throughout the event, the Halo displayed a 360-degree view of the daily walk that one resident of Ethiopia takes to procure water, plus live totalizers of the amount raised at the gala. (The totalizer was powered through an app custom-made for the event by All of It Now.)" —Robyn Hagan Cain, San Francisco contributing editor
"I mean, who doesn't love balloons? These giant colorful trees (built by Founders Entertainment with balloon arrangements supplied by Katie Balloons) were sprouting up around the festival grounds at Governors Ball this year. Talk about instant photo bait! And such a clever way to reinvent what some may consider a tired design trope." —Michele Laufik, style editor
A colorful bar with gold accents furthered the evening’s floral theme.
The evening featured a total of nine events, including cocktail receptions and additional dinners. A reception at Zellerbach Hall was illuminated with 48 crystal chandeliers.
The event’s 3,500 attendees split off to four concurrent dinners, the largest of which took place in a 12,000-square-foot tent outside the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall. More than 300 gold- and rose gold-illuminated glass pendants hung from the tent’s ceiling, and eye-catching floral bouquets created focal points.
To make all 700 dinner guests feel included, organizers used varied seating arrangements accented with custom-fabricated floral glass installations that created a series of vignettes.
During the 90-minute window, workers—including more than 100 staffers from Blueprint alone—also transformed the outdoor area that had previously held the event's entrance area. A long printed carpet recalled the floral backdrops inside the tent, and vignettes featured plush lounge furniture. Blankets and heaters were used to keep guests warm.
In November, Tyger Productions transformed the Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts into a sparkling purple space for the Boston Purple Party 2018, benefiting the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. The gala's co-chair Ty Kuppig of Tyger Productions and his team suspended floor-to-ceiling panels of reflective paillettes to create a more intimate setting within the large venue.
The New York Public Library hosted the 2018 Library Lions Gala in November, with honorees Ron Chernow, Francis Ford Coppola, Jessye Norman, Claudia Rankine, and Elizabeth Strout. The event raised more than $2.7 million. Once again, event designer David Beahm transformed the Rose Main Reading Room into the gala’s dining room with floral projections by L&M Sound and Light cast on the walls and table decor that included white blooms.
