Nicole Kidman, a best actress nominee for Moulin Rouge, says she hasn’t really been inundated with too many requests from design houses clamoring to get her into their gowns. “I have had a very good relationship with a couple of designers I tend to gravitate towards and I think that’s sort of known, so I don’t get besieged with a lot of offers,” reveals the star, who favors Christian Dior, Gucci and Valentino. “I think the thing about the glamour side of the Academy Awards is that it’s nice to celebrate. As a girl, it’s fun to dress up.”
“I’ve got so many choices of things to wear on that night,” says Halle Berry, another best actress contender for Monster’s Ball. “I love fashion, I love clothes, I love dressing up…I guess when the day comes I’ll wear whatever I feel is right.” Berry adds that she is more concerned with dressing her mother, who’ll be joining her on the red carpet for the first time, than she is for herself.
Having had her share of previous nominations, Iris’ Best Supporting Actress contender Kate Winslet was sanguine about preparations for the big night. “I hope that I’m going to find a dress that is comfortable and shoes that don’t make me scream after half an hour.” She is dismayed, though, as a women who is “not a fashion victim and not obsessed with clothes…my child is obsessed with clothes. I don’t know how or why…I’m sure she’s going to enjoy when all the frocks start to arrive.”
Crossing Jordan’s Jill Henessey, who’ll be venturing out to the In Style/Elton John AIDS Foundation bash at Moomba, says she relies heavily on the advice of her stylist. “Luckily I have a good friend in Phillip Bloch, who says ‘Honey, you’ll look fabulous in this!’ So I trust his judgment.” She’s still not sure whose dress she’ll be zipping into, though. “I have no idea. Phillip recommended a beautiful Luca Luca, a beaded ensemble, beaded pants and beaded sort of lace top.”
Another party-hopper, actress Maria Conchita Alonzo, says she spent an entire afternoon at her personal stylist’s house picking out outfits for a week’s worth of Oscar-related soirees. “I love Gucci, I love Betsey Johnson–I love everybody! They all have something I’m attracted to.”
The men may have it easiest of all. As Will Smith explained, his wife Jada Pinkett Smith decides what he’ll wear for him. “While she’s in the shower I sit on the bed and wait for her to lay something out.”
