Oscar, always the biggest and glitziest award and week of the year hit Hollywood once again. Yet, due to the economic climate, The Big O arrived in town in a slightly more tempered fashion. He’s still cinema’s Golden Boy, but this time around he arrived with less flash and fanfare. All in all, it felt like someone turned down the music.

The oppressive climate caused many party planners and studios to follow suit. Several felt it was inappropriate to fully put on the Ritz. Annual Pre-Oscar dinners were replaced with tasteful cocktail parties and passed tapas. Party planners nipped and tucked guest lists and running times and Marketers downsized gift bags and swag (sealed with a gift).

Each year there seems to be a new twist in the mix. In previous years, the threat of the IRS had A list, never been seen at a swag suite, celebs running with reckless abandon to get their hands on the last wave of tax free freebies. Last year’s recent Writer’s Guild strikes definitely dulled the shine and even caused Vanity Fair to cancel their annual, party, the hautest ticket of the night. But Kabbalists Madonna and Demi picked up the party slack, throwing their own fete, as they know too well, that the show must go on.

Hollywood’s well-known gifting gurus too know that swag and suites must follow suit. It, like many of the events is a great place to shmooze, booze, get pampered and leave with the season’s best party favors. In the end, it’s a great way to catch up with friends and to capture the latest trends.
 
Thankfully, this season we got Milk, some Buttons, Slumdogs, Wrestlers, Winslet’s wonders, hottie Hathaway, new Brit on the block, Yasmin & Simon LeBon’s own Happy Go Lucky Hawkins and of course the almighty Meryl. Clearly, there was plenty on deck worthy of an award.

No Hollywood award season is complete without a wee bit of gifting. The pre cursor to the awards show ditty are the suites that sweep through the city, from The Hills, to Hollywood, back to Beverly, Hills that it is, the suites literally take the city by storm.

Here’s a sneak peak at one suite that pulled out all the stops, dishing out $45,000 worth of goodies for the celebutantes. What recession? 

The Golden Boy
Gavin Kelly of GBK has earned his Hollywood stars and stripes by consistently putting one of the best suites in the city for many years for many of the major awards shows from The Emmy’s to Oscars and The MTV awards.

It’s not all flash and fashion for Gavin. He balances his act with a bit of integrity giving back (20 % of his suite’s proceeds) and giving those recipients a chance to shine in his limelight in the suite in real time. It’s a wild reminder to celebs that it’s not all about what you can get, but perhaps what you can give, given the position you are in.

Gavin put this in to action long before Obama gave us our call to action. One of the four recipients at this year’s Golden Globe’s suite was The St. Bernard Project in New Orleans. Thus far they have gotten 167 families back in their homes and are currently rebuilding another 35 families' homes. That interest carried over as the producer of Revolutionary Road held a fundraising fete during Oscar Week for The St. Bernard Project at Kerry Simon’s restaurant, Simon at The Sofitel in West Hollywood.

At this year’s Oscar suite, two of the four recipients were Homeless not Toothless an organization that provides dental care to the homeless and Worldteam Foundation, which is committed to the prevention of human trafficking. It’s a great balance to the swag at hand.

Run away with the Circus
The GBK suite itself, themed the Circus of the Senses, was held at the newly opened SLS Hotel in West Hollywood. With the help of Freshwata, a boutique event design company, it was an award worthy suite as each of the five gift rooms represented one of the five nominated films.

Small bites from Chef Jose Andres were being passed to accompany the full bar. The food was excellent. But good luck getting a reservation. If you call, they run it like partner Brent Bolthouse, the famed Hollywood club promoter (The Hills) runs his trendy clubs. There's a big wall to get through to to a table and a reservation.

Golden Goodies
From head to toe, there was plenty of swag on the fashion front. Tri-Specs had the fashion gadget. Their wicked specs were jet set style with an acoustically enhanced Bluetooth headset for phones. It didn’t stop there. They’ve got MP3 controls, volume control and retractable ear buds. You would never know by looking at them. They are a travel must.

Emre of Emre New York was on site, gifting the talented his sumptuous leather bags. He had plenty on deck from doggie bags, which he was the first to create, to gorgeous oversized bags in big bold colors perfect for travel or the urban dweller. 90210’s Anna Lyn McCord, Paula Abdul and funny lady Jennifer Coolidge could not get enough of the leather lovelies.

Hot watches are always in fashion. Corton was right on time with their big, chunky, statement making pieces. Celebs all over the city have been scooping up Croton’s timeless, unisex pieces, making them a red carpet must for both sides of the gender fence. As seductive as they are, the price is right.

Dara Ettinger had gorgeous organic gem jewelry and Kathleen Kirkwood had her Bust Ease. You can kiss your chicken cutlets goodbye. K Swiss was kicking it old school with their classic whites alongside more their more modern creations for feet that need to be fashion forward. Whatever the kick, K Swiss is a can’t miss.

Calisto had flawless black leather flip-flops with gold embellishment, perfect for today’s travel as they easily cross over from day to night. The affordable line had cute lightweight wedgies and heels for a steal.

There was an endless flurry of heath and beauty products. To get ahead of the rest, I.C.O.N. had a stunning line of natural hair products for any hair type. Revitalash introduced Hair. It’s their same concept, except for hair. So if you want thicker or longer lashes, hit Revitalash. If your hair is thinning, then this is your ticket.

Metropolis was back with their extensive line of advanced products. They have a flat iron that works on wet hair and they have the chicest line up of travel products, perfect for the on the go glamour girl, who is trying to keep her baggage weight down.

For youthful beauty you couldn’t go wrong, as there were plenty of skin things. Eminence, a Hungarian skin line based in Vancouver is one of my favorites. If you hit the spas in BC, chances are you will experience the line. If you want to take the spa home with you, this award winning line is the next best thing.

Pure lisse had a line of products that was a marriage of Chinese beauty secrets and French skincare technology. Last, Life Cell Skin Care is hailed as the most potent needles free treatment. It is a scientific process that diminishes light and therefore, your wrinkles. 
If that doesn’t work, Dr. Chui’s Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery was handing out a one-year gift certificate for a once monthly treatment.

For healthy Hollywood, Sports Club LA gave passes to the young and famous. Amazon Thunder was pouring a 100% pure, organic Acai. The super food is super delicious. Verve was providing healthy highs for the energetically challenged celebs with their energy drink and Vomma, a mineral drink. Nordic Naturals had their usual suspects, Omegas, Cod liver oil and gummy vitamins for kids (or adults). Generate 1000 had just the drink for sustaining health in to the golden years. The doctor and creator of Generate 1000 waxed poetic about the benefits, especially for those with Alzheimer’s. Best bet; get on it now, to ward off what is to come. 

For your other engine, Force for Earth’s creator was also on site chatting about his creation, which is good for the environment, your car and your cash as it increases your mileage considerably.

Chatting, being and getting gifted can be a wee bit exhausting. Indulgent Escapes was slipping celebs Caribbean getaways and Six Senses Destination Spa was easing the cinema strain with five night stays, three squares and spa treatments.

In LA, it pays to play as Indulgent Escapes got as much prime time TV coverage as the celebs themselves, discussing their decadent giveaway. 

Despite the climate, Oscars proved that Hollywood remains an effective tool for branding products, services and properties and whatever the reason, swag is always in season.
 
TEXT and PHOTOS by KAREN LOFTUS - karenlofty@aol.com

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