From the Red Carpet: The 2009 CFDA Awards

Like the Met’s Costume Institute Gala, the CFDA Awards is an event by, starring, and for the fashion industry. Rodarte’s Laura and Kate Mulleavy won the womenswear award, while Calvin Klein’s Italo Zucchelli and Band of Outsiders’ Scott Sternberg tied for menswear. Proenza Schouler’s Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez took home the prize for accessories.

The Swarovski Awards focused on emerging talent, with Alexander Wang winning for womenswear, Tim Hamilton for menswear, and Justin Giunta of Subversive Jewelry for accessories. Michelle Obama’s style icon status was further cemented by a Board of Directors’ Special Tribute.

The complete list of winners can be found here, and the extensive photo gallery, which is full of chills and thrills, can be found here.

Kirsten Dunst wearing Rodarte with designers Laura and Kate Mulleavy.

Ah, the eccentricity afforded to the very wealthy: Daphne Guinness in Proenza Schouler.

Alexander Wang looking adorable (even with the disconcerting lack of socks) with Dree Hemingway, in one of his designs.

Justin Giunta of Subversive Jewelry with Hannelore Knuts (wearing one of his necklaces, of course).

Diane Kruger, with and wearing Jason Wu.

Lord knows I love my deep V necklines, but the combination of Liya Kebede’s incredibly slender frame and the loose fit of her Balenciaga dress is kind of veering into bag lady territory.

I thought Lake Bell rocked it at the Costume Institute’s Gala this year, but this Louis Vuitton get-up is a little humorless, no?

I love Maggie Grace’s confectionary ruffled dress, especially with her black belt and heels.

Agyness Deyn working one of my favorite looks: sequins and leather.

Doutzen Kroes in Zac Posen. I know this is a terrible thing to say about a beautiful dress, but aren’t Posen’s designs getting a bit old hat? When he first emerged I loved his figure-friendly, vintage-inspired pieces, but now it’s starting to veer a little too much into UES cougar territory.

Ashley Olsen. The only thing that would shock me with her is a mini-skirt.

Diane von Furstenberg is the sexy bitch that we should all aspire to be in our maturity.

Vanity Fair’s Alexis Bryan Morgan recycling Demi Moore’s Prabal Gurung dress (it is a lovely dress).

Shouldn’t Behnaz Sarafpour have given Michelle Trachtenberg the better outfit?

Mamie Gummer, with and wearing Peter Som.

Coca Rocha looking fab in Michael Kors.

Jeffrey Costello and Robert Tagliapietra! How gloriously anachronistic are they?

Yigal Azrouël is an extremely attractive man, and his fauxquestrian look here is great. I’m just putting that out there. Accompanied by Behati Prinsloo wearing his design.

A little something for the ladies: Italo Zucchelli of Calvin Klein with Bradley Cooper. Have you noticed how infinitely hotter Bradley Cooper is with the new shaggy hair? He used to be too WASP-y for me, but that hair has given him a swashbuckling je ne sais quoi.

All photos: Style.com

From the Red Carpet: The 2009 Academy Awards

I generally cheat when it comes to awards shows and just watch the red carpet and then YouTube the highlights. Last night, however, my husband insisted on watching the entire show (trying in part, I think, to circumvent my watching “Big Love”).

Anyhow, for those of you who missed it, it was more or less the same flim and flam. Slumdog Millionaire deservedly won everything, and there was an Angelina and Jennifer showdown! And by showdown I mean that poor Jen squirmed while presenting and trying to appear like a STRONG WOMYN while Angelina stared her down from the front row and Brad went to his happy place. The highlight of the show was probably Ben Stiller channeling Joaquin Phoenix. So let’s skip past the unnecessary montages and the you really like me’s and get to the good stuff, yes?

The Award Winners

I heart Kate Winslet, and nobody can deny that this is her year. However, I’ve been less than thrilled with her red carpet choices as of late, and after her sizzling Catherine Deneuve inspired Vanity Fair spread, who wouldn’t expect something a little more va-va-voom? The slate color of the dress is lovely, I’m always a fan of the one-shoulder silhouette, and I love YSL, but even with the lovely hair and make-up it just somehow isn’t entirely working for me. I feel like this all is veering dangerously close to Angelina Jolie territory.

Penelope Cruz wears vintage Balmain paired with Chopard accessories. Again: lovely woman, largely safe and boring ensemble. Such is the bane of most awards shows.

The Style Winners

Now, from a distance Anne Hathaway’s shimmery dress might appear to be one of my much-reviled boring floor-length red carpet dresses. Unfortunately this is not the best picture to see the details, but the dress was composed of millions of paillettes that started small at the top and ended up as gloriously huge globs at the train. This was quite possibly the best dress of the night.

God help me, but Tilda Swinton was definitely one of the better dressed. Mind you, I always think a Tilda Swinton appearance is cause for rejoicing, but she usually turns up to these things looking less polished and more, how do you say, crazy bird lady-esque. Not only is her Lanvin ensemble totally drool-worthy (especially the gorgeously draped top), but her red lips and Fred Leighton bangles tie it all together for a sort of 1940s Katherine Hepburn in Christopher Strong look.

Marisa Tomei’s Versace dress managed to be classic but not dull with its single shoulder shape and jagged pleats.

Marion Cotillard is one of my favorite actresses on the red carpet. Last year she wore a stunning white Gaultier mermaid dress; this year she did an about face and opted for an entirely different but equally noteworthy Dior gown.

Once again, my reluctant fashion darling Evan Rachel Wood (team Dita!) has wormed her way into my heart with her beautifully structured Elie Saab dress.

Usually red carpet spouses are relegated to looking some shade of dowdy and/or tragic. Susan Downey bucks the trend with a fab red draped dress, complete with an asymmetrical belted detail.

In lesser hands this whole ensemble could have gone horribly wrong, but I can only assume that Ahna Riley is some sort of fashion savant. The heavy flounces on the dress could have made the look extremely baroque, but her relaxed hair and double belt make it something else entirely.

I love Mickey Rourke. This is how you come dressed to an awards show (in Gaultier, no less).

The Trends

Purples

Alicia Keys in Armani.

Natalie Portman in Rodarte.

Mermaid Dresses

Diane Lane in Dolce & Gabbana.

Melissa George, also in Dolce & Gabbana.

Pale Neutrals

Jennifer Aniston in Valentino.

Nicole Kidman in L’Wren Scott.

And Then The Rest

Oh, look: Angelina Jolie in a long dark gown. Quelle surprise. I will give Angie credit, though: her Elie Saab gown is actually quite lovely, and at least a departure from the normal dropped waist crap that she’s so fond of. I realize that they’re fairly ridiculous, but I also totally covet her offensively gigantic emerald Lorraine Schwartz earrings and ring.

I like the architectural bodice of her Carolina Herrera gown and would like the multi-colored Fred Leighton necklace paired elsewhere, but as usual I find myself wishing that Amy Adams’ stylist would just follow my wishes and dress her up as a little retro “Mad Men” Barbie doll.

I don’t understand. I love Heidi Klum. I love Roland Mouret. How could it all go so terribly awry?

Jessica Biel’s Prada dress is artistically striking but looked like a granny sack onstage (her general predilection for granny dresses couldn’t have helped). Did you notice that the audience kind of Mean Girl’d her during her presentation by remaining bitchily silent, making her scripted jokes fall flat?

On a similar note, I might love Amanda Seyfried’s Valentino dress on the runway or in an editorial feature, but it just looked all kinds of silly, especially with the somewhat juvenile necklace and hair.

I am very much on the fence about Freida Pinto’s blue John Galliano dress. I kind of hated it until it dawned on me that perhaps he was trying to reinterpret the traditional sari, which made it a bit more interesting. I still wish he had left off the Old Tyme-y tiered hem, though.

Even though I wouldn’t go so far to say that she was a style winner for the night, I love that Sophia Loren is a million years old and still dresses like a lusty barmaid.

All photos: Style.com