bLavish

Oscar Fashion Night Show-Down

March 3, 2006 | Posted by bLavish as Chasing the Greenbacks at 1:01 pm | Comments off

Are you ready to watch who’s-wearing-what at the Oscars?  But maybe it’s really, who’s getting paid what to wear what at the Oscars.  As if big-name celebs really need to supplement their income. 

Every year the well-publicized Academy Awards ceremony draws nationwide attention, not just for keeping tabs on their favorite films, but to admire and critique the glamorous celebrity fashions. Clothing, cosmetics, hair styles, and jewelry worn to star-studded events like the Oscars can influence fashion trends for months or years to come.  We can thank J Lo for some awful trends after some of her appearances. 

It’s not surprising that fashion designers are willing to make significant sacrifices to get their designs onto the bodies of celebrities who attend these big events.  Product placement is older than ET & Reese’s Pieces.  For years, the big fashion design houses have allowed celebrities to borrow their designs, free of charge, to wear to high-profile events.

Today, popular celebrities are paid large sums of money by designers to wear certain designs to public events. So your favorite actress might not even like the high-priced necklace and earring set you see her wearing. She could be working a paid advertisement for a design house, even though she appears to be on her own free time.

Consider the luxurious little Chopard diamond earrings worn by Best Actress winner Hilary Swank at the 2005 Oscars. According to TimesOnline Swank originally borrowed jewelry from Harry Winston for the event, but returned it after accepting an offer from Chopard to pay her an estimated $90,000 to wear its design instead, apparently she had fallen on hard times.

The L.A. Times reports that both Swank and actress Charlize Theron returned their loaned Harry Winston jewels within 24 hours before they planned to wear them to the Golden Globes, reportedly receiving “6 figure checks” from Chopard to wear its designs to the event.

Swank wasn’t the only celebrity wearing Chopard on Oscar night, although its unclear whether other stars received similar compensation from the company. The list of Chopard wearers reportedly included Mary J. Blige, Natalie Cole, Nicolette Sheridan, Penelope Cruz, Star Jones Reynolds, and even Al Roker god bless him.

Lesson to be learned:  You can never have too much money, so say yes to product placemement.  I’m eating a Chiquita banana with Peter Pan peanut butter.  What are you eating?

Wipe Away The Wrinkles

March 3, 2006 | Posted by bLavish as Personal Care at 12:35 pm | (1) Comment »

Today I was gallivanting around Forbes and noticed a Most Expensive Cosmetics article.  This one blew me away.  $600 for one ounce of volumizing serum.  It’s like, pay the car payment for the month, or battle the wrinkles.  You decide.

Made with keratinocyte growth factor, this serum is said to turn over dead skin cells eight times faster than normal skin, plumping trouble areas like frown lines and crow’s feet.

Dr. Gregory Brown, RéVive’s founder and president and a plastic surgeon, says he never intended to use his research on epidermal growth factor–published in 1989 in the New England Journal of Medicine–to make a skincare line.

“I started making it for my mother and me, then I started giving it to patients, and then a friend of a friend was head of Neiman Marcus and suggested I started making it for the store,” he says.

Available at Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and http://www.reviveskincare.com/.

How Much Is That Oscar In The Window?

March 2, 2006 | Posted by bLavish as The Reasons Why at 1:04 pm | Comments off

The newly-minted Oscar statuettes which will be handed out at the Academy Awards this Sunday were on display for the first time in New York last month; the 50 gold-plated trophies were being exhibited in Times Square.

Sir Anthony Hopkins, who won an Oscar in 1992 for Silence of the Lambs, was among the first visitors to the exhibition of little gold men.

Academy coordinator Randy Haberkamp said: “It’s not something you see regularly, so unless you have an uncle or aunt or somebody who won one, chances are pretty slim you’ve seen one right up close.”

All this led me to wonder, how much is that Oscar in the window?  Each statue is 13.5 inches tall and weighs eight pounds. They cost about $400 each to make, they are made from steel alloy britannium which is then dipped in 24k gold plating.

“They’re shinier and look better-made,” said New Yorker Marcia Fokas, who had come to see the display.

Need an Oscar yourself?  Think you’re the Best Actor in the drama of your life, then check out http://www.fantasysportsawards.com/youth/oscer.shtml which offers a replica of the original in 24K gold. 

 

 

 

A Home In Tucson, But Away From Tucson

March 2, 2006 | Posted by bLavish as Dream Homes at 12:43 pm | Comments off

Check out a beautiful Tucson property.  This architecturally designed home is surrounded by the natural beauty of the Catalina National Forest. The mountain peaks rise majestically behind this home with remarkable views of the twinkling city lights below. The desert sky goes on forever from walls of glass in every direction. Can’t you just see yourself out there with telescope & chardonnay in hand?

 Enjoy this contemporary environment from the elite perspective setting above the Tucson Valley; yet minutes from Tucson’s premier shopping and fine dining. The perfect choice residence or second residence. Separate Guest House, Caretakers Quarters, Home Theater, 2200 Sq. Ft. 8 Car Heated and Air-Conditioned Garage w/lift. Negative Edge Pool and Spa. Additional 2200 Sq. Ft. for Exercise Room, Studio or Game Room. Over 11,000 Square Foot Total. 24 Hour Manned Security Gated Residential Enclave. Break free from the chilling pains of winter faster then you can imagine.  This is the one you’ve been waiting for.  Cost, $5,900,000.

Get Ready For A Juicy Swim

March 1, 2006 | Posted by bLavish as For Her at 3:13 pm | (5) Comments »

The dreaded swimsuit season is almost upon us.  Wherever you go, they are there just waiting for you to shed those winter pounds and get ready for a rollicking good summer.

Juicy Couture is bringing back the 70′s, whether you wanted them back or not.  This lovely Shirred Butterfly Swimsuit just says “I’m a feather-haired Jane Fonda and I’m sexy”. 

Green with lime stripes with a solid green butterfly elastic belt on the drop waist, this swimsuit is perfect for a martini tasting or the beaches of Jamaica.  Juicy Couture really knows how to make them.  Cost, $164.

The 2007 Saab Aero X Concept Secret Is Out!

March 1, 2006 | Posted by bLavish as Fast & Furious Cars at 2:42 pm | (3) Comments »

It seems like there’s always a leak in the superior automotive industry. Following an Internet leak last week, GM officially unveiled the 2007 Saab Aero X Concept, a doozie of a name, Monday. Many have been on pins and needles waiting to see what GM would serve up, and it looks like it’s going to be one hot dish.

GM stated that the Aero X, “harnesses the power of Saab’s aviation and Scandinavian roots to make a unique statement in performance car design.” Conceived as a study to explore future deign directions (no, it doesn’t do any Jetsons moves yet), its innovative features preview the development of an enhanced design language that will inspire future Saab products.

Let’s take a tour….

First, there are no doors or windshield pillars, the Aero X has taken the aviation roots to heart and created a cockpit canopy just as you would see on a jet aircraft. This offers the lucky driver full 180 degree vision.

The 400-hp, twin-turbo, BioPower V6 engine is fueled entirely by ethanol. So, when you’re enjoying the exceptional ride this beauty gives you, the environment will smile along.

One of the coolest interior features is that with the Aero X, they have elimoinated the conventional dials & buttons. Instead, you are treated to 3-D graphics displayed on a glass-like acrylic ‘clear zone’. All exterior and interior lighting is by LED, so no more changing the bulbs every few years.

With weigh-saving carbon fiber bodywork, a lightweight powertrain, electronically controlled suspension and all-wheel drive, the Sabb Aero X is an exciting luxury car that promises the driver both class and ecstasy. Computer simulations anticipate zero to 60 mph/100 kph in just 4.9 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph/250 kph.

No matter how you cut it, the 2007 Saab Aero X Concept is a sexy, beautiful performance car that is calling my name. Do you hear yours as well?

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