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This week there is one pivotal thing on the mind of many actresses - the Oscars red carpet. As everyone knows, on Oscars night that red carpet is transformed into a runway, a runway seen by millions. Actresses, particularly nominees, become models for some of the best and most promising designers in the biz. In fact, Oscars night could make or break an entire career.
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Behind every A-list nominee, there is a team of fashion and beauty personnel clamoring for her love and approval. To win over an actress and have one's design appear on the red carpet is akin to winning one of those shining golden statues.
According to The New York Post, the act of dressing an Oscar-nominated actress is an entire extravaganza unto itself.
Actress Bestowed with Gifts of Liposuction, Facelifts
Stylist Philip Bloch dished to The Post about the darker side of the red carpet. "Some stylists will take gifts from fashion houses," he said. "I've heard of them offering vouchers for liposuction and other nip/tucks. Some designers will just ask 'What do you want?' I've never got involved in that but I always say 'I wouldn't take a bribe, but I love a great thank-you present.'"
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Some of the most shocking revelations included offers of "free facelifts" and $5,000 "tokens of appreciation."
Though this might seem completely ludicrous, the publicity a designer can get from an Oscars appearance is unparalleled. And Boch would now. He chose Halle Berry's iconic 2002 Oscars dress - an Elie Saab gown with sheer, embroidered top and burgundy skirt.
"That dress put my career into the stratosphere," said Bloch. "It launched the designer's career, and it changed Halle's life forever. In that dress, she looked beautiful but vulnerable ... it caused people to see her in a whole new light."
That one single dress has made the rankings of "Best Oscars Gowns of All Time" since Berry wore it in 2002. Elie Saab is now not only a household name, but also a red carpet-favorite.
But, Boch confessed, "The industry has become polluted."
Money Talks
Merle Ginsberg, senior writer at The Hollywood Reporter, revealed another tactic in the battle for red carpet reign - cold, hard cash.
"Actresses are very often paid to wear a certain gown," Ginsberg told The Post. "Having Anne Hathaway, Nicole Kidman or Gwyneth Paltrow walking in your dress is worth an enormous amount of money in terms of advertising and brand, and the designers figured that out some time ago."
"If a designer approaches a celebrity asking to dress them, this agent might say, 'We're looking for a deal that's worth $200,000' - and that figure is on the lower end. You can only imagine the sums that change hands to ensure an actress wears a dress for just one night."
