Styles & Scenes

It's a wrap for Kate Hudson

Everyone was buzzing about Kate Hudson's fabulously slinky gown at the Hollywood premiere of her new comedy, "You, Me and Dupree," also starring Matt Dillon and Owen Wilson.

Was it Versace? Dior? Chanel? Prada? Dolce & Gabbana?

Wrongo. Guess again.

EHHHHNNNN! Sorry, time's up.

Kate's shimmering silver gown with a deep plunging neckline was designed by Diane Von Furstenberg, long known as the creator of the original '70s wrap dress. Diane and her wrap are back and in hot demand with young Hollywood, who shop for new wraps at her boutique on Beverly Boulevard in West Hollywood. 

How did this elegant beauty handle the testosterone-filled jokes and antics on the set? Don't let the fab designer dress fool you.

"Kate was amazing. She fit right in," said Anthony Russo, who directed the romantic comedy with his brother Joe. "That was one of the first things she told us, "Don't worry about me. I grew up in a big family with three brothers."

Nuff said.

Photo Credits: Kate Hudson wows the cheeering crowds at the "You, Me and Dupree" Hollywood premiere in a DVF wrap gown.
WireImage/Lester Cohen

"Pirates" premiere is a wild carpet ride

The most popular ride at Disneyland Saturday was the red carpet for the world premiere of “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.”

And the longest. The red carpet was over 1,000 ft. long, rolling down Main Street, snaking by Fantasyland and ending at Adventureland. But for hundreds of international TV, radio, internet and print reporters and thousands of fans who'd come to see “Pirates” stars Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom, the carpet ride became pretty disappointing by the end of the night.

Fans staked out coveted spots along the carpet when the park opened at 6:30 a.m. The press arrived at 3 p.m. to prepare for celebrity arrivals from 5-6. But by 6:30, only a few non-famous guests came wandering in.

Since the premiere invite stressed ‘pirate garb,' there were more eye patches, head bandanas, gold earrings, skull 'n crossbones, puffy shirts, and pirate hats - not to mention dark sooty Jack Sparrow eyeliner - than you could shake a saber at.

Early on, the throng of fans – most wearing Disney's pirate mouse ears (gold hoop earring in one ear) – were hopeful and enthusiastic, shouting, screaming, holding up banners and photos of Depp and Bloom and ‘We Love You Johnny!’ posters. They were only too happy to jump and scream to create B-roll color for the camera crews and applaud the professional Disneyland pirates who were singing, playing accordions, juggling balls and knives and walking on stilts up and down the carpet.

There was a pre-party with grog and grub at the Blue Bayou and Café Orleans for  the premiere guests. They could also ride the new Pirates ride that features characters from the film (Jack Sparrow, his nemesis Captain Barbossa and the squid-faced Davy Jones) and then fill three huge red, yellow and green bleachers to view the film scheduled to be shown on an outdoor screen at around 9 p.m.

But by 7:30, the fans out on the carpet were getting hungry and hoarse, children began whimpering and even the seasoned press was turning surly.

“We’ve been standing here 5 hours and we’ve not seen a single lead actor from the film,” groused a KTLA reporter. “This is insane. Why would they make us stand out here this long?” Even a befuddled German reporter asked, “Is this normal?”

“Is Johnny here?” reporters pestered the nervous Disney publicists. “Where’s Keira?” "Has anyone seen Orlando?” "Will they talk to us?”

“They’re here,” one publicist promised. “Johnny’s doing the new Pirates of the Caribbean ride and they’re taking photographs. But he’ll be here. Just be patient.”

So reporters relaxed and chatted up non-Pirate people to kill time. “Entourage” star Kevin Dillon told press that his fans scream “Drama!” and “Viking Quest!” wherever he goes. Director James Cameron, who has a cameo on “Entourage,” plugged his new film “Avatar,” a sci-fi flick set on another planet that will be released next year in 3-D HD.  But he admitted he’d probably do better with a real “Aquaman” since it’s gotten built-in buzz from the show.

Jon Voight stammered when a reporter asked if he’d seen his new grandchild. The answer was “No” but he’s, um, “very proud of Angie and all the work she's doing.” And he hasn’t sent a baby gift. And he’d really rather not talk about it, if you don’t mind.

Holly Robinson Peete was very popular with press because she actually knows Depp from his “21 Jump Street Days.”  “Who would you like to have a pirate adventure with?” queried a TV reporter. “Well, not Johnny. He’s a friend. Unlike every other woman in the world, I just don’t feel that way about him,” Robinson-Peete explained.

Marilyn Manson – dressed not like a pirate but like Marilyn Manson – was also a hot interview once word spread on the line that he actually knows Depp, who may star in a movie he’s making about Lewis Carroll.  “I’m just here to see Johnny. He’s my friend. He’s a real pirate. I’ve got absinthe in my boots and I’m a pirate, too.”

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed autographs, talked to a few TV reporters and tried to ignore the smattering of loud “boos” from the crowd. Inexplicably, his wife Maria Shriver wore a Dolce & Gabbana T-shirt emblazoned with Michelangelo’s David wearing a sequin fig leaf.

Finally, around 8 p.m., a few actors who actually appear in “Pirates” made their way down the press line. Bill Nighy, who plays the octo-pussed Davy Jones, said it was  surreal having to play piano with his face tentacles. Vanessa Branch, who plays the wench Giselle, revealed how much fun she had slapping Depp in all three films.

All three? ...

Photo Credit: Keira Knightley faces what Disney called the longest red carpet in the world.
WireImage/Lester Cohen

Photo Credit:
Johnny Depp signs autographs for fans at the Disneyland premiere of "Pirates."
WireImage/Lester Cohen

Photo Credit: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver walk the  "Pirates" plank.
Wire/Image/Gregg DeGuire

Vera Wang curries fashion favor at the Oscars

Now that the Oscar dust has settled, which designer was the most popular on the red carpet?

You could call it a tie. Dior dressed two big names: presenter Charlize Theron and the adorable first lady of the evening, best actress Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon.

Theron’s forest green silk gown with a benign tumor-sized shoulder bow didn’t win over most style seers. But Witherspoon’s honestly vintage 1955 beaded Dior frock was a major thumbs-up, despite criticism that the gown was "too much dress" for the petite actress.

But Vera Wang also dressed two important ladies — both best actress nominees — and both of her creations were wildly hailed. "Brokeback Mountain" nominee Michelle Williams wore a Wang curry-hued '30s-inspired chiffon gown. And "Pride & Prejudice" nominee Keira Knightley looked to-the-manor-born in Wang’s fishtail hem burgundy gown.

And here's a surprise: Versace, usually deemed a bit too racy for the Oscars, came in third, designing for three presenters: Jessica Alba's gold gown, Salma Hayek's blue wrapped gown and Hilary Swank's strapless black number.

Other fashion forces at the 2006 Oscars:

Photo: Michelle Williams won fashion favor at the Oscars for her curry-colored Vera Wang chiffon gown.
(Steve Granitz / WireImage)

No gowns? Chanel still sparkles

Sunday night wasn’t a complete wash-out for Chanel.

Even though there were no Chanel frocks on carpet-walking actresses, "Munich" star Eric Bana and his wife Rebecca Gleeson wore sparkling Chanel watches and jewelry to the Oscars.

Gleeson chose a pair of Chanel’s LaPluie earrings with a matching ring and watch, while Bana wore Chanel’s Superleggera watch.

Several other stars — Marisa Tomei, Selma Blair and the Olsentwins — sported Chanel sparkles at some of the hot post-Oscar parties.

Blair wore Camélia Jumelle earrings and a diamond ring. Mary Kate Olsen wore a Camélia Cachalong ring and a black diamond ring.

Ashley Olsen wore two Matelassé bracelets and a Camélia Dome diamond ring and Tomei wore dangling Matelassé diamond earrings and an Ellipse diamond ring.

Hey, if ya can’t garb them, gem them.

Photo: Marisa Tomei sparkles in Chanel jewelry at the Vanity Fair after-party on Sunday night.
(Gregg DeGuire / WireImage)

Forget the beef. Where's the Chanel?

Reese Witherspoon and Charlize Theron in Dior. Jessica Alba in Versace. Keira Knightley and Michelle Williams in Vera Wang. Amy Adams in Carolina Herrera. Nicole Kidman in Balenciaga. Naomi Watts in Givenchy.

Hey, wait a minute. Where’s the Chanel?

Good question.

International fashion experts are buzzing about the fact that for the first time in almost a decade, there was not a single Chanel creation on the Oscars red carpet.

Was Hollywood slapping Chanel’s liver-spotted hand for having handed “Walk the Line” Witherspoon a very previously worn vintage gown to wear to the Golden Globes back in January? She won only to find out that her dress had been sported by Kirsten Dunst to a Golden Globe Awards party in 2003?

Mon Dieu!

The resulting comparisons between Reese and Kirsten (who looked better?) wearing the same sparkly Chanel frock became an embarrassment for Witherspoon’s camp and a horror for Chanel, who had no real explanation for why the mix-up had happened. Say what you will about how silly this big brouhaha was — but for a designer to dress a Golden Globes winner in a recently worn dress — not to mention one that was worn by another blonde twenty-something actress at the same awards just two years prior — was deemed simply unforgivable.

Even though Witherspoon's publicist issued a public statement "forgiving" the luxury house, many remained skeptical. "We all knew there would be some kind of retribution," whispered a Los Angeles-based fashion rep.

Observers recall a major Chanel statement at the 69th Academy Awards with Celine Dion in a sparkly silver gown. And Chanel haute couture really made headlines with Julianne Moore's stunning black gown at the 72nd Oscars. Recently Kidman was almost a CC regular, wearing Chanel to the 74th and 76th awards.

“Since 2000, Chanel has always been present at the Oscars and the house has always been very select and discerning with their red carpet placements,” says Oscar.com’s longtime fashion expert Tom Julian. “It was quite obvious that the label was not present on Sunday night.”

Why? Everyone has theories.

“Perhaps actresses — or more importantly, their publicists — were still reticent over the Reese Witherspoon debacle. Maye they did not want to generate press for Chanel since they might also come under close scrutiny for wearing a previously worn dress. But whatever the reason, it was obvious that many of the nominees have moved on this year.”

Some style seers say the snub was unintentional. "Designers' presence on the Oscar carpets is always cyclical and the timing of Chanel's disappearance is merely a coincidence," says Mariiyn Heston, who represents Elie Saab, Thomas Wylde, Bebe and others.

Others say the deeper problem is a loss of fashion faith. “It all comes down to trust. If you can’t trust a luxury fashion house to provide your client with a unique gown for an event as big as the Oscars, well, then there is no point in having a relationship with them,” sniffed one top Hollywood personal publicist. Ouch.

What can Chanel and other fashion houses learn from this?

“It’s a very important lesson,” Julian says. “Never take this world too lightly and always have a strategy in place — otherwise negative press and bad fashion buzz will get you. And always remember that the celebrity has to protect their fashion reputation and standing, not yours.”

Some stylists note that it may be smarter for major designers to continue to work selectively and closely with actresses who are tied to their commercial campaigns.

One thing is certain. Chanel must slowly rebuild a relationship with Hollywood. And some insiders predict that major payola — a pay-to-play routine — will be a big factor in Chanel getting any gowns on the 2007 awards carpets.

Photo: Now this is a dress for the Hollywood history books. Reese Witherspoon is elegant, classic and feminine in a 1955 vintage Dior gown. Take that, Chanel!
(Kevork Djansezian / AP)

Chanel fuss is just a frock says Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore was in very fine form at the Hollywood premiere of the new animated kiddy flick, “Curious George," wearing a cap-sleeved, portrait neckline black dress and a tiny gold heart bracelet and necklace.

Uncharacteristically, she even talked about fashion and how silly she thought everyone was acting over Globe-winner Reese Witherspoon’s Chanel frock that was previously worn by Kirsten Dunst at a Globes post party back in 2003.

“You gotta be able to laugh at yourself,” said Barrymore.

The actress, who sent up the brouhaha about her being braless at the Globes by wearing fake droopy breasts on “Saturday Night Live” the weekend after the awards show, seemed happy that people at the “George” premiere at Hollywood's ArcLight Cinemas were more interested in her voice role. She’s the perky voice of a schoolteacher romantically interested in the Man in the Yellow Hat (Will Ferrell) who owns George the monkey.

But for the record, “I’m wearing Celine,” boasted Barrymore. “And a bra!” she added with a giggle, as she ran over to hug Ferrell at the after-party.

OK, you gotta love this girl.

Photo: Drew Barrymore's ratings get a serious boost at the "Curious George" premiere.
(Lester Cohen / WireImage)

Can a Sk8er Girl wear Chanel?

The House of Chanel has officially moved on after last week’s très embarrassing Reese Witherspoon/Kirsten Dunst Golden Globes dress debacle.

And who cares about zee upcoming Oscars? Chanel has fresh flesh to fry.

Punk princess Avril Lavigne, now 21, attended her first Paris couture show Tuesday, showing up at Karl Lagerfeld’s Chanel couture collection held at the Grand Palais in the Louvre.

I know she's all grown up but gosh, it's kinda sad to see the end of our little grungster’s carefree Sk8er Girl wardrobe: self-ripped jeans, plaid minis, baggy cargos, safety-pinned Ts, suspenders, vests and that vast collection of men’s neckties, some swiped from her dad.

Seated in the prestigious front row, Lavigne was all chic and polite in a black Chanel couture dress (from the Fall collection, dahling) and carried a signature Chanel purse from the “Luxury by Chanel” collection.

Does this couture appearance mean Ms. Lavigne may sport Chanel if she attends the upcoming Grammy Awards? Hey, anything’s possible. Or maybe she’ll wear some Chanel stuff when she performs during the closing ceremony of the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy on Feb. 26.

She has already worn Chanel…

Photo Credit: Avril Lavigne wears Chanel couture (like, duh) to the Chanel couture show in Paris.
(Tony Barson / WireImage)

Mariah's gown of choice

Finally, the secret is out.

Mariah Carey wore a skintight B&W satin Chanel gown to the Golden Globe Awards that had been designed and fitted on the sexy songbird in Paris by the house’s esteemed head, Karl Lagerfeld.

But it turns out that the Chanel frock became Carey's much-needed backup, not the award-winning songbird’s first GOC (gown of choice).

Curvy Carey had really wanted to wear an Escada gown also specially made for her. But the gorgeous gown didn’t arrive in time for her to wriggle into it and then wiggle to the Globes.

Seems the Escada gown was stuck in DHL hell, according to Brian Rennie, Escada’s design director, who let the news slip to a West Coast fashion editor last week. Rennie, Escada’s Munich-based head design dude, was in Los Angeles last week to show stars his Oscar-worthy gowns, including a $50,000 one-of-a-kind creation inspired by Monet’s famous water lily painting.

So now we know the real reason why Chanel’s Globes press release (naming actresses in Chanel) didn’t include Carey. They were as surprised as Escada was disappointed.

No word on what the late arrival Escada looks like. No inside news on color or print. But rest assured, the Escada gown will be worn, say my inside sources. By Mariah? Duh. Otherwise, the alterations would be a nightmare. Maybe at the Grammys? It’s possible.

This late dress dilemma happens more often than we know. Earlier this season, Scarlett Johansson’s gown for her London “Match Point” premiere reportedly arrived late. So she ended up in a less-than-stellar plaid Dolce & Gabbana shift.

We asked an L.A. PR agency insider why designer gowns are delayed. Is customs scanning the designs for smart bombs, checking for anthrax in the crinoline?

Photo: Escada head designer Brian Rennie with models wearing the house's Oscar-worthy gowns.
(Michael Buckner / Getty Images)

Chanel's double dressing disaster, continued

The fashion world is positively reeling, darling, over the Golden Globes' double dress debacle.

Can you imagine? Reese Witherspoon accepting her best actress Golden Globe in a Chanel dress worn by Kirsten Dunst to a Globe party in 2003?

Poor Reese. Instead of being featured as a Globe winner on the cover of People and Women’s Wear Daily, looking happy in her exquisite frock, her photo is butted against a shot of Dunst in the same dress, like one of those horrid “Who Wore It Best” tabloid-style spreads.

Dear Lord, the dress duplication was even reported on Access Hollywood! The horror, the horror....

Then came word that Globes presenter Natalie Portman was indeed wearing a Chanel dress that was worn by a then-skinny Debra Messing at a Glamour Women of the Year affair in 2001.

Calls to Messing’s publicist, Portman’s publicist, and Chanel’s New York office and to Portman's stylist Kate Young have still not been returned. Hmmm. But confirmation about Portman/Messing's mirror mode comes from a highly placed source in a fashion agency that works with Young, who also styles Hilary Swank.

After the Globes show, Young told New York Times fashion writer Cathy Horyn why Natalie went with a black Chanel rather than one of the two Rochas (say "row-cha") dresses (blue and pale green) made just for her by Olivier Theyskens.

First Reese, now Natalie? Mon dieu!

Mon dieu!

First Reese Witherspoon. Now Natalie Portman?

The still-trembling House of Coco is about to be royally rocked by yet another Golden Globes dress debacle.

Unconfirmed reports are surfacing that Portman’s so-called "vintage" black lace Chanel frock worn to Monday’s Golden Globe Awards is another recent repeat. Embarrassingly, the same strapless Chanel frock may have been worn by Debra Messing to the 12th Annual Glamour Magazine Women of the Year Awards back in 2001.

How could this happen? Is it really the same dress? No clue. And it's too late to reach the Chanel PR folks at this late hour (almost 7 p.m. PST on Thursday).

No doubt they're all home, heavily medicated (two Tylenol PMs) after a horrible day of apologizing to Witherspoon's camp for giving the actress the same dress worn by Kirsten Dunst to the 2003 Globe post parties and calling it vintage.

But if this Portman/Messing report turns out to be accurate, it's fairly safe to say that heads will roll — Marie Antoinette style — soon at Chanel’s corporate headquarters.

Granted, Portman was a only Globes presenter, not the night’s big female Globe winner like Witherspoon. And the fashion pressure is not nearly as hot for presenters as nominees.

But Portman is a former Oscar nominee, an acclaimed dramatic film actress and last year's winner of the best actress in a supporting role (drama) Globe.

Anyway, Debra Messing? Even if it was back when she was still a hot skinny fashion clothes hanger (one baby ago), she’s still just a "TV sitcom star". Let's hope Chanel at least remembered to have the dress dry-cleaned.

Poor Natalie. But also, poor Chanel. Coco must be turning over in her grave. Time will tell if the powerful French design house can stitch up their frayed image by Oscar time. If they can’t, fashion critics will be counting the Oscar Chanel designs on one finger: Nicole Kidman. If she attends.

Photo (left): Natalie Portman in 'vintage' Chanel at the 2006 Golden Globes
(George Pimentel / WireImage)

Photo (right): Debra Messing wearing what looks like the same Chanel frock at Glamour Magazine's 2001 Women of the Year Awards.
(Dimitrios Kambouris / WireImage)