The Oscars: Fashion’s Big Night

The 83rd Academy Awards were held in LA last night. No big surprises re the winners – Natalie Portman won for Black Swan and The King’s Speech won 4 including the biggies Best Actor and Best Director.

Most of the actresses kept it safe in shades of red, silver and of course black. Having a celebrity wear your dress to an event as huge as the Oscars can do wonders for a designer’s career. Did you know about Elie Saab before Halle Berry wore, and won in, one of his gowns? Now he is a celebrated designer with a huge celebrity client list.

Halle Berry in 2002

See over for some red carpet hits.

Jennifer Hudson in Versace. Almost didn’t recognise her!

Rashida Jones (daughter of Quincy) in Valentino at the Elton John AIDS Foundation viewing party.

Rasario Dawson in Diane vonFurstenberg at the Vanity Fair post Oscars party.

Halle Berry, in a modified Marchesa gown, presented a tribute to late actress Lena Horne during the Oscars.  Does Halle ever look bad?!

Zoe Saldana in Prabal Gurung at the Vanity Fair post Oscars party.

Fashion at the 2011 Independent Spirit Awards

The Independent Spirit Awards are held, traditionally the day before the Oscars, to celebrate the best in independent film making.

Unsurprisingly, Black Swan won Best Feature, Best Director and Best Female Lead for a very stylish and very pregnant Natalie Portman.

We were rather keen on these ladies ensembles:

Kerry Washington in a floral Dolce & Gabbana dress, Sergio Rossi shoes and Roger Vivier clutch.

Rosario Dawson in a Burberry dress and Brian Atwood heels.

Zoe Saldana in a Dolce & Gabbana dress, Brian Atwood heels and a Bottega Veneta clutch.

No Woman, No Cry

Christy Turlington is in the January 2011 edition of Harpers Bazaar discussing her journeys to some of the most impoverished parts of the world—Tanzania, Bangladesh and Guatemala—to shed light on the life threatening struggles of pregnant women for her new documentary, No Woman, No Cry.

Christy Turlington by Victor Demarchelier

She says: ‘Safe pregnancy and childbirth are huge problems that have been ignored worldwide. In sub-Saharan Africa, 1 in 31 women die during pregnancy or childbirth. Birthing clinics are understaffed and women have to walk miles to reach them. If they don’t go into labour in a certain amount of time, they’re kicked out to make room for other women. It completely stunned me.’

She has joined forces with fellow models Alex Wek and Erin Wasson, actress Rosario Dawson and designer and actress Georgina Chapman to raise awareness and save lives with the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood.

A selection of dresses, including the Vera Wang gown Rosario Dawson is wearing, are being auctioned at charitybuzz.com from December 20 2010 until January 31 2011. All proceeds go towards White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood.

Rosario Dawson In Stella McCartney

Even Rosario Dawson can't win with this fabric. I don't know why Stella McCartney insists on using this kind of satin, because the only hope of not looking like a wrinkled mess is if you have an assistant following you at all times with a steam iron while you avoid sitting, walking and preferably also breathing.

Rosario is otherwise beautiful and the color is perfect on her. It goes well with her jewelry and flawless makeup, and I admit the top of the dress is pretty and offers just enough drama to not look boring without stealing the show.  I just wish she'd have chosen a designer with a better grasp on reality.

Photos of Rosario Dawson at the Los Angeles premier of Unstoppable: Just Jared