For electric-utility company ComEd's ribbon-cutting ceremony and reception on February 19 for its Chicago training center, catering firm Entertaining Company put a thematic spin on beverages with pomegranate-flavored "Electric Lemonade." The drinks were served in food-safe, lightbulb-shaped vessels on light-up trays branded with the company's logo.
The Minibar app, which lets party hosts stock up by ordering beer, wine, spirits, mixers, and bar supplies for delivery, concocted some cocktails inspired by this year's Oscar nominees and ceremony host Chris Rock. The "Chris Rocktail" is made by pouring chilled Cristal champagne into a flute and garnishing it with rock candy for a elegant yet fun drink.
Rihanna's debut Fenty Puma runway show for New York Fashion Week took place February 12 at 23 Wall Street. Production company Prodject commandeered around 35,000 square feet of space for a distinctly unique five-day build. The video floor portion of the runway was raised and covered by about 200 pieces of custom mirror. Models first walked on the runway, then around the perimeter of the space on the same level as the first row of seats, which brought the clothing closer to attendees.
Tommy Hilfiger's February 15 New York Fashion Week show at the Park Avenue Armory was produced by KCD and boasted a near-life-size Randall Peacock-designed ship, dubbed the T.H. Atlantic. The ship boasted two main cabins, steam stacks, operational architectural lighting fixtures, branded buoys, piles of antique luggage, and an overall dimension of 130 by 40 feet.
The TED Conference took place February 15 to 19 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Sponsor Delta Air Lines created an immersive installation to introduce its new collaborative research center dubbed the Hangar. Inside the space, 6,000 LED lights simulated a star-filled sky. Attendees could climb throughout the dream-like environment and then submit innovative ideas for Delta to explore.
Vancouver architect and past TED speaker Michael Green worked with local design students to create two 16- by 30-foot "warming huts" where attendees could gather outside the convention center. The huts will permanently be installed in one of British Columbia's outdoor recreation sites for climbers, skiers, and outdoor enthusiasts.
Yards Park in Washington, D.C., hosted the second annual wintertime festival Ice Yards on January 30. Produced by BrandLink Communications, the event featured branded ice sculptures and frozen games, including ice shuffleboard created by Ice Lab.
Beauty and grooming brand Kiehl's hosted a Zoolander 2-theme pop-up in New York's meatpacking district from February 9 to 13, as part of its partnership with the comedy sequel. Kiehl's introduced limited-edition box anti-aging kits at the activation, which featured a decontamination chamber that had male models in hazmat suits stationed behind a protective acrylic wall, reaching through to give guests the choice of anti-aging decontamination: a topical ointment or spray.
Samsung also partnered with the film to debut a modeling-theme experience at the Grove in Los Angeles, which took place February 11 to 15. Each of the event's activations used Samsung technology, including the "Elite Model Lingo" section where guests were taught model talk using a dubbing recorded booth powered by the brand's devices. All guests who completed the interactive courses were deemed "Ridiculously Good Looking" enough to graduate and receive a graduation gift from the Zoolander School of Modeling.
To reach out to the millennial and Gen Z crowds, many event organizers are adding physical representations of emojis into event decor. For Fullscreen's Streamy Awards after-party, which took place in September at the W Hollywood in Los Angeles, Caravents created so-called "emojis in the wild"—accompanied by a well-promoted hashtag of the same phrase—which involved small animal figures placed within the decor throughout the space. The move was meant to encourage guests to share their subtle observations.
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.
Offering visitors a taste of the future, Royal Caribbean’s Bionic Bar premiered at Italian Bites on the Beach on Friday night. The robotic bartending system, created by Makr Shakr, plucked bottles from overhead to mix drinks.
Servers dressed as bionic creatures handed out the drinks. Makr Shakr will install Bionic Bars on two Royal Caribbean ships, and the activation previewed that technology.
Visitors to Groupon’s photo booth at Italian Bites on the Beach on Friday could choose from two vignettes. Both played on the “Discover your city top to bottom” tagline by hanging decor from the ceiling—a diner in one and a stage with a drum set and guitars in another.
Returning sponsor Coca-Cola’s activation in the Grand Tasting tents took on the guise of an 1950s-era diner. The brand’s red and white colors were used in furnishings and decor.
Vintage license plates and staff in retro diner uniforms completed the look.
Goya, the title sponsor of the Grand Tasting Village, set up oversize letters spelling out its name in the sand as a photo backdrop.
Going against the traditional rule of no glasses by the pool, Tervis launched its new line of insulated plastic wine glasses at the Spike the Pool party Friday. Chef Spike Mendelsohn hosted the event at the Hall hotel, where he recently opened Sunny’s restaurant. Tervis also showed off the new line at an air-conditioned lounge at the Grand Tasting Village.
Teams of local and Miami chefs competed in aquatic games such as raft relay races and a pool treasure hunt. Guests in the pool—including chef Marc Murphy—could rest their wine glasses in individual floaties.
Thrillist sponsored Meatopia on Saturday night, placing branding on items such as coolers of beer.
The low-fi voting system asked guests to cast their votes for their favorite dish by placing tokens in ballot boxes with hand-drawn graphics.
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood expanded its sponsorship this year. As part of the festival’s expansion into northern neighbor Broward County, it hosted the New Style Remix Dinner at its Kuro restaurant and had a lounge at the Grand Tasting.
Evian set up an alpine-theme activation inside the Grand Tasting tents. The build out included snowy mountains and directional signage in pink and white. Guests who posed with Evian hashtags received handheld water misters.
At Smartwater’s pavilion in the Grand Tasting, sunglasses, scarfs, striped straws, and shelves were among the elements in the brand’s turquoise brand color. Full-size bottles were also incorporated into the front of the bar.
At Hilton McLean Tysons Corner in suburban Washington, D.C., guests can experience the winter chill while staying warm inside. The hotel’s “blue break” offers a variety of cool blue-colored snacks, such as blue jelly beans, donuts with blue frosting, blueberry lemonade, and “snow balls” made from marshmallows and coconut.
Chef Todd English prepared ahi tune haché with uni panna cotta, spiced sesame dressing, and kaffir-lime aioli as the first course at a dinner he hosted with chef Chris Miracolo. The event, held at S3 Restaurant at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort, was part of the festival’s first Taste of Fort Lauderdale Series.
From Palme d’Or at the Biltmore hotel in Coral Gables came sea urchin royal apple geleé with marinated langoustine. It was served with Bemka golden osetra caviar.
Hawaiian kampachi crudo, served in a shallow tin dish, came from Stephane Caporal, executive chef at Fisher Island Club.
Milk Bar chef Christina Tosi topped a layered birthday cake with a ring of her beloved birthday cake truffles.
Chef Jeremy Ford of the Matador Room at Miami Beach Edition served a lobster taco at Best of the Best.
Chef Antonio Tridenti of Amanera Resort at Playa Grande, Dominican Republic, served a smoky zabaglione—an Italian version of a sabayon—with Beluga caviar.
Another creative dish came from Bourbon Steak Miami, which served truffle dashi broth with steak.
Washington-based chef David Guas competed in Meatopia with a Polynesian honey grilled tri-tip steak. It was served over a slaw.
Chef Jose Garces’s take on the classic Spanish scrambled egg dish revuelto added tomato jam, Jamon Iberico, and potato crumbs. The event took place at Nobu Miami at Eden Roc.
A highlight of the Sweet 15 Dessert reception was a fresh take on birthday cake and ice cream from Jean Georges Vongerichten’s Matador and Market restaurants at the Miami Beach Edition hotel. The dish consisted of crème fraîche cake, vanilla bean crémeux, confetti nitro ice cream, raspberry gel, a white chocolate candle, and 23-carat edible gold flake. The event took place at the Villa, Casa Casuarina.
Chef Eric Baker’s Duck and Waffle dish topped a bite-size Belgian waffle with duck, a quail egg, kumquat marmalade, and sorghum syrup. The brunch took place at the Ritz-Carlton Fort Lauderdale.
Offering a twist on a Cuban sandwich, chef Michael Blum of I Heart Mac & Cheese topped a dish of mac 'n' cheese with mojo-infused, slow-roasted pulled pork with a homemade chicharron garnish.
Starting things off at the Cobaya dinner was a light dish of snap peas with leek oil and goat’s milk from Alex Chang, chef at host venue Vagabond Restaurant & Bar.
Another pre-dinner dish was an oyster vichyssoise from chef Andrew Zimmern served in gilded tea cups. The dinner also featured dishes from chefs Vinny Dotolo, Jon Shook, and Carlo Mirarchi.
An elegant dinner hosted by chef Joël Robuchon at the Moore Building featured a dish of oscietra caviar and salmon tartare.
Among the dishes at a dinner at Bianca at Delano was dill seed brioche and umami butter from chef Bradley Kilgore.
One of the first events of the festival, the Director’s V.I.P. Welcome Happy Hour is a casual get-together on the rooftop of the Betsy hotel. Among the passed hors d’oeuvres from chef Laurent Tourondel’s menu at BLT at the Betsy were tempura shrimp steam buns with Napa cabbage slaw and spicy mayo.
For dessert at Lucky Chopsticks, the gourmet mobile dessert truck HipPops served a raspberry lychee sorbet dipped in semi-sweet Belgian chocolate. The beachside event took on the form of an Asian night market.
There were many entries at Burger Bash, which celebrated its 10th year as one of the festival’s signature events. Jersey Dawg, a food truck in South Florida, won the judges’s choice with its slider-style burger, and Masaharu Morimoto won the people’s choice award for a fried burger served with kimchi.
Vancouver's Railtown Catering prepares a canape of chicken karaage, a Japanese version of fried chicken. The chicken is marinated in ginger, garlic, yuzu, and soy sauce before it's fried. Then, the bite-size pieces are are topped with yuzu mayonnaise and shaved jalapeño peppers.
HBO’s Golden Globes party had a "winter garden” theme that showed up in all-white flowers as well as projections and linens.
The ninth annual Women in Film Pre-Oscar Cocktail Party at Hyde Sunset Kitchen & Cocktails included product displays from sponsor M.A.C Cosmetics alongside arrangements of all-white flowers.
For the Oscars Governors Ball, Mark’s Garden used 10,000 white flowers, including calla lilies, gardenias, ranunculus, phalaenopsis orchids, and succulents.
The Recording Academy's official Grammy after-party for 5,000, known as the Grammy Celebration, had a candy land theme. The "Grammy Land" bash had whimsical, youthful details, like rainbow suckers tucked into tabletop centerpieces.
Lucian Grainge's artist showcase, presented by American Airlines and Citi, took over the Theatre at Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles during Grammy week. Branded kids' toys topped tables.
At the Elton John AIDS Foundation Oscars after-party, a dessert display included espresso milkshakes topped with mini doughnuts threaded through straws.
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.
This year’s Governors Ball had a retro look inspired by the caricature-covered walls of Sardi’s and Brown Derby restaurants. Decor for the night included more than 170 commissioned black and white drawings of current and historic Hollywood stars.
Rolex’s greenroom at the Oscars, designed by Rolex and produced by Event Eleven, was meant to mimic the look and feel of a private Hollywood manse from the 20th century. Details included walnut wood, beige leather, and Venetian stucco.
At Fox’s annual Golden Globes party, the look was influenced by the Art Deco period, with residential-style details such as wraparound sofas in neutral tones and chevron-patterned area rugs.
At the 21st annual Critics' Choice Awards at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, silver sequined linens from La Tavola added glitzy pop to tables.
Despite its earth-toned color palette, Global Green's Oscar party had a subtle shine with seafoam green sequined tabletops.
At Global Green’s annual Oscar event, marquee-style lettering spelled out the organization’s name.
Vanity Fair's famous Oscar party, held in Beverly Hills for the second year in a row, had the publication's name spelled out in marquee letters. The magazine's Social Club setup in Culver City also included the same decor element.
At the Oscars Governors Ball, marquee lettering served as a backdrop for an understated bar.
