Costume Designers Guild Awards 2015: Fashion & Film

Naomi Watts, Laeticia Hallyday and Emily Rossum on the Red Carpet at the Custom Designers Guild Awards

This week, I had the pleasure of attending the annual Costume Designers Guild Awards in Los Angeles at the Beverly Hilton.   This event honors the film costume designers who make the apparel or coordinate the costumes that help to give voice to characters in film. The Costume Designers Guild Awards is one of the most relaxed and enjoyable events during Oscar Award Season Week.   LaCoste honoree Naomi Watts looked beautiful in a flowing white Altuzzara blush white halter dress.  Hostess Emily Rossum held court in a blush Oscar de la Renta gown that screamed old Hollywood style.  Read on to hear about the designers honored by actors and their peers at the gala.

This year, the Guild honored two-time Academy Award®-nominated actress Naomi Watts with the LACOSTE Spotlight Award, which was presented to her by actress Laura Dern, Watts’ good friend and co-star in the film “We Don’t Live Here Anymore.”

The Distinguished Collaborator Award was presented to Award-winning writer, director and producer Richard Linklater by actress Patricia Arquette in recognition of his support of Costume Design and creative partnerships with Costume Designers. Linklater wrote, produced and directed the Golden-Globe winning film “Boyhood,” which depicts the life of a young boy over a period of 12-years. The film, which stars Ethan Hawke and Arquette, received eight Oscar nominations in six categories, including best picture and best director. Ms. Arquette looked stunning in an elegant black gown presenting the award.

Actor Harrison Ford presented acclaimed Costume Designer Aggie Guerard Rodgers with this year’s Career Achievement Award for her outstanding work in film. Ford and Rodgers have collaborated on numerous films spanning over 40 years, including “Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi,” “The Fugitive,” “American Graffiti,” “The Conversation,” and “More American Graffiti.”  Mr. Ford gave a lengthy and humorous tribute to his friend Aggie Guerard Rodger.  He told the audience, ” Aggie put me in a billiard green, $900 Brioni suit and a $500 pair of fancy-ass Italian shoes” for the film The Conversation.

Costume Designers Guild member, two-term past-president and a Costume Design activist for nearly 40 years, Dr. Deborah Nadoolman Landis received The 2015 Edith Head Award for the Advancement and Education of the Art of Costume Design. Her husband, film director, screenwriter, actor and producer, John Landis, presented her with the award.  Dr. Landis gave a heartfelt speech about why she loves Costume Design and she paid tribute to Edith Head, explaining “we’re not here to create fashion.” Indeed, she called fashion the “f-word.”  She note that when she thinks about fashion and film, she often thanks, “”take & minute and consider what Edith would do”

Actress Emmy Rossum, who currently stars in Showtime’s dark comedy series “Shameless,” which is based on the long-running British series of the same title, hosted the Awards Gala. Presenters included Jon Voight, Mindy Kaling, Ike Barinholtz, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Jonathan Groff, Kiernan Shipka, Betsy Brandt, Tony Hale, Michelle Monaghan, and Beau Bridges.

Celebrity attendees included: January Jones, Beth Grant, Kevin Christy, Loni Anderson, Teddy Sears, Autumn Reeser and Xosha Roquemore.

17th COSTUME DESIGNERS GUILD AWARD WINNERS

OUTSTANDING MADE FOR TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINI SERIES
American Horror Story: Freak Show – Lou Eyrich

OUTSTANDING PERIOD/FANTASY TELEVISION SERIES
Game of Thrones – Michele Clapton

OUTSTANDING CONTEMPORARY TELEVISION SERIES
True Detective – Jenny Eagan

EXCELLENCE IN COMMERCIAL COSTUME DESIGN
Army ‘Defy Expectations, Villagers’ – Christopher Lawrence

EXCELLENCE IN FANTASY FILM
Into the Woods – Colleen Atwood

EXCELLENCE IN PERIOD FILM
The Grand Budapest Hotel – Milena Canonero

EXCELLENCE IN CONTEMPORARY FILM
Birdman – Albert Wolsky