<\/p>\n
There is a certain assumption made about ladies who lunch\u2014being, 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\u2019s Trousdale Estates home in Beverly Hills, there were, yes, women enjoying a fantastic lunch\u2014salmon, chicken salad, chickpeas and beets, and these delicious little pastry things made with Meyer lemon\u2014with 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.<\/p>\n
The Belgian designer has thrown a picnic lunch honoring the female Oscar nominees for the past eleven years. It\u2019s become somewhat of a staple on the see-and-be-seen<\/a> awards-season circuit. But while many events focus on getting the buzzy, cloutiest names on their guest list, von Furstenberg\u2019s guest list is curated by accomplishment.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll see bonafide movie stars there, sure. But you\u2019ll 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\u2019s nominees. \u201cIn the middle of the night I realized\u2014we want people to know who these nominees are,\u201d she said. \u201cSo at the last minute we went to the stationery store and got little stars. Next year I\u2019ll have something better.\u201d<\/p>\n The lunch began with champagne and coffee at the Fran\u00e7ois Catroux-designed home, which feels like an old school hunting lodge in the middle of Southern California. The \u201ccocktail\u201d dress code was interpreted in myriad ways for the 75-degree weather: co-host Tracee Ellis Ross<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n