You probably know all about the suites but I'll just give you a couple of details.
Suites in the major Beverly Hills hotels, such as the Peninsula and Four Seasons, are set up for celebrities and their stylists to view everything that they could possibly need for the red carpet. You name it, gowns, handbags, jewelry, it's all there. By visiting the suites the stylists can pick and choose among an array of goods to be borrowed, or even gifted, for a celebrity. Hair stylists and beauty products also set up shop in the suites to showcase what they have to sell, so there might Dior cosmetics, Jimmy Choo shoes and DeBeers diamonds. This year Beladora was invited to participate in a major suite but respectfully declined.
Then...there are the gift suites...because god knows that Hollywood's elite need gifts!
This article from 2009 explains how these suites work
No sign of recession at pre-Oscar gift suites
Lavish spa vacations, diamond jewels, plastic surgery treatments and expensive watches are just some of the products available at gift suites set up in hotels for Academy Award nominees, presenters and selected VIPs.
There was no sign of a global economic crisis at GBK 'Circus of the Senses' gift suite where invited guests can receive "more than $35,000 in gifted luxury," according to the company.
Gavin Keilly, the head of GBK luxury lifestyle gift suites and special events company, admitted that some may see it as just the rich getting richer. But he said for companies promoting their products, it is great value.
So celebrities who make huge amounts of money for let's just say not that much hard work, get gifted all kinds of stuff, from cellphones to vacations.
Leslie Unger, director of communications for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science, said it discontinued gift bags, which were reportedly worth up to $100,000, several years ago because of tax implications.
To avoid the tax implications, the trend now is to make the gift suites about "giving to charity" to mitigate the fact that it is all one big product promotion boondoggle....
Yeah...I'm so believing that it's so all about the ART.
By the time that the Academy Awards finally arrive in March I must admit that I have some measure of red carpet and award speech fatigue. Really, do I need to see Sean Penn win another Oscar?
But enough about those silly awards and let's talk about blog awards...specifically mine.
Metscan, that elegant equestrienne from Finland, with the YSL bags, the Valentino dresses and the two cute horses, has graciously awarded my humble BHB blog the sugar doll award. I probably don't deserve it for any special reason other than the fact that I've passed my 3 year blogoversary and this is my 1180'th post! Of course accepting an award means paying it forward, and I certainly will to 15 other bloggers as soon as I can catch up with what I'm working on at the office.
And if that wasn't enough already, that wilderness chic woman from Wales gave me the sunshine award. And pardon my french but wilderness my ass...you should see the country spread that she's living in...charmingly named The Old Rectory. You all know the term "shop your closet", well looking at the photos of her house makes me think of the term "vacation at your house". Seriously, who would ever want to leave a house with an orangery, a country view and an aga?
Once again, I will pay it forward soon...I promise. So much is going on here this week and next that I can't give my proper attention yet. But I will.
Last but certainly not least, a heartfelt THANK YOU to Metscan and Wildernesschic...and also to A Femme who reminded me that I was indeed remiss.
