There is a certain assumption made about ladies who lunch—being, well, that they have the idle time for a languorous activity like a multi-course meal middle-of-the-day. (Often with wine.) And at Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg’s Trousdale Estates home in Beverly Hills, there were, yes, women enjoying a fantastic lunch—salmon, chicken salad, chickpeas and beets, and these delicious little pastry things made with Meyer lemon—with fantastic wine (never turn down a white Burgundy.) Yet aimless guests they were not: in fact, dozens of them will be up for an Academy Award on Sunday.
The Belgian designer has thrown a picnic lunch honoring the female Oscar nominees for the past eleven years. It’s become somewhat of a staple on the see-and-be-seen awards-season circuit. But while many events focus on getting the buzzy, cloutiest names on their guest list, von Furstenberg’s guest list is curated by accomplishment.
You’ll see bonafide movie stars there, sure. But you’ll also meet the directors of critically acclaimed short films, or producers of a social justice documentary. And the most impressive fashion accessory to have? A gold star sticker on your chest, which von Furstenberg gave to all of this year’s nominees. “In the middle of the night I realized—we want people to know who these nominees are,” she said. “So at the last minute we went to the stationery store and got little stars. Next year I’ll have something better.”
The lunch began with champagne and coffee at the François Catroux-designed home, which feels like an old school hunting lodge in the middle of Southern California. The “cocktail” dress code was interpreted in myriad ways for the 75-degree weather: co-host Tracee Ellis Ross wore wide-leg jeans styled with statement jewelry, while Jennifer Meyer wore a crop top to show off her baby bump. Another co-host, Demi Moore, meanwhile, looked sleek in black and brown Gucci print.
Lunch had no assigned seating. “We want people to connect,” von Furstenberg said while people served themselves from a giant buffet plated on a picnic table. Gwyneth Paltrow, one of the stars of the best picture-nominated film Marty Supreme, took a seat next to Meyer and Moore. Also at their table? Katy Perry. Meanwhile, Jane Fonda (in a leopard coat) pulled up a chair next to the fourth co-host of the lunch, Nicole Avant Sarandos.
In her remarks, von Furstenberg spoke about fostering friendship among women in an industry that sparks competition. (“Kindness is a tool,” she said.) She also took time to call out who, in her opinion, was the strongest woman in the crowd: Anita Hill, the lawyer who famously testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 1991 about the alleged sexual harassment she suffered from then Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas. “The strongest of all is Anita,” she said. “Anita went on television in front of the Senate and talked about penises. You got to be brave for that.”
Several women in the crowd nodded. It was almost impossible to disagree.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.vanityfair.com ’
