 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
Star returns
By KRIS HUNDLEY © St. Petersburg Times, published March 27, 2001 BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- The million-dollar, diamond-studded sandals didn't make it across the red carpet at Sunday's Academy Awards ceremony. But the folks at Jimmy Choo, the London shoe designer who wanted to make a splash by putting the gems on Renee Zellweger's feet, got plenty of free publicity anyway. Among the Oscargoers who sported spiky Jimmy Choo sandals before an audience of about 1-billion worldwide: Kate Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, Joan Allen, Goldie Hawn and Jennifer Lopez (though few people probably noticed Lopez' feet considering the see-through bodice of her gown). As the 73rd annual Academy Awards quickly faded into memory, it was time for the fashion industry to pack up the goods and tally the results for those in the business of glamour. Retailers and designers here began collecting jewels, gowns, furs and handbags lent out for the occasion in the quest for prime-time exposure. Florists were inundated with orders for congratulatory bouquets. And stylists, several of whom had been snubbed this year by the stars who preferred to dress themselves, lamented the lack of fashion excitement Sunday. "I thought that fashionwise it was kind of uneventful as Oscars go," said Ricci De Martino, a Los Angeles stylist who Monday had to return a dress not worn by actor Patty Heaton. "Catherine Zeta-Jones was the only one who stood out as far as I'm concerned. I saw a lot of elements that were beautiful, but she was the only one where I saw the whole look come together." Fati Parsia is the stylist responsible for Zeta-Jones' bodice-gripping black dress Sunday. Parsia routinely plucks haute couture gowns straight from Paris fashion runways for her client, with this year's selection from Versace. The one-of-a-kind gowns, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, are given free to the actor, who wears them only once. An actor's place on the popularity chart, as well as the value of the merchandise, plays into the keep-it or return-it equation. Top wattage stars such as Zeta-Jones keep whatever they want. Most designers say they're happy to let celebrities keep an item, especially if they'll wear it again. Shoes, such as the Jimmy Choo brand that sell for $700 to $1,500, are always considered give-aways, even if the celebrity changes her mind and wears another brand at the last minute. Edouard Schneider, director of public relations for Daniel Swarovski handbags of Paris, said his company's crystal-encrusted evening bags, which retail for between $700 and $2,000, generally are returned. "If one of the actresses really loves our handbag, we won't say, "Please give it back to me,' " he said. "But we prefer to give them handbags they will carry all day." Among this year's Oscar attendees carrying Daniel Swarovski bags were Ashley Judd and James Coburn's wife, Paula. "We were a little disappointed because last year we had more," Schneider said. "But there were more glamorous girls on the red carpet last year." The one firm rule in Hollywood seems to be that borrowed jewels are always returned. That means it will be a busy week for the well-dressed armed guards at Harry Winston, who will be combing Beverly Hills doing pickups. This year, the New York City jeweler loaned diamond necklaces, earrings and bracelets to such stars as Marcia Gay Harden, Julie Andrews, Hudson and Lopez, who wore an 80-carat yellow diamond sewn into her provocative dress. While the great post-Oscar merchandise return takes place in Beverly Hills, florists are busy sending out congratulatory bouquets. At the Velvet Garden here, the awards generate more business than either Mother's Day or Easter. "We probably get 100 more orders the week after the Oscars," said Stacy Johnson, one of the shop's floral designers. "Designers will send them to stylists, studios will send to stars, and losers will send to winners." While it can be fun to create floral arrangements for big spenders willing to pay as much as $250 to say thanks, there can be drawbacks. "Designers can be very controlling," Johnson said. "Valentino likes all whites. Tom Ford of Gucci doesn't like to mix different floral species. And some of the cards are pretty long-winded.' - Kris Hundley can be reached at hundley@sptimes.com or at (727) 893-2996.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
|
From the Times Business report
From the AP
|
