And the Oscar Goes To...

Happy Oscar Week! Sunday, February 22nd marks the 87th annual Academy Awards and as always, two of my favorite categories are Best Art Direction and Best Costume. The genres traditionally run the gamut with period films, sci-fi and musicals leading the pack. If any of the earlier awards are an indication, Grand Budapest Hotel should take home Oscar gold in both categories.

And the nominees are...Best Art Direction:

Grand Budapest Hotel

Adam Stockhausen, Production Designer
Anna Pinnock, Set Decorator

You can read more about the BAFTA and Art Director Guild award winning sets in my Architectural Digest piece here.

Mr. Turner

Suzie Davies, Production Designer
Charlotte Watts, Set Decorator

The Imitation Game

Maria Djurkovic, Production Designer

Mr. R

Dennis Gassner, Production Designer
Anna Pinnock, Set Decorator

Interstellar

Nathan Crowley, Production Designer
Set Decorators: Gary Fettis, Paul Healey

And the Nominees Are....Best Costume Design

Into the Woods

Milena Canonero, Costume Designer

Grand Budapest Hotel

Colleen Atwood

Inherent Vice

Mark Bridges, Costume Designer

Maleficent

Anna B. Shepherd and Jane Clive, Costume Designers

Mr. Turner

Jacqueline Durran, Costume Designer

Photo Credits: Disney Pictures, Bear Pictures, Sony Pictures Classics, Melinda Sue Gordon, Warner Brothers

For Your Consideration

This Sunday, February 24th marks the 85th Annual Academy Awards and of course, one of the many awards I look forward to are those in the Best Art Direction category. From the fantasy worlds of Pi and Baggins to the period interiors of Russia, France and the Lincoln White House, they represent the best in set designs for 2012. For a quick tour, see my article in Architectural Digest here.

Architectural Digest will also host the Oscar Greenroom, the ubiquitous spot where winners, nominees and presenters go to relax in between awards. Designed this year by AD100 designer Madeline Stuart, the Art Deco inspired room pays homage to the legendary trend-setting art director Cedric Gibbons who was considered one of the most influential men in film. During his 32 year tenure at MGM, he oversaw 150 productions including Gone With the Wind and The Wizard of Oz (he is actually credited on 1500 films) and was responsible for the Art Deco and Streamline Moderne styles of films during the Golden Age of Hollywood. Married to the very glamorous actress Dolores Del Rio, one of his most famous creations was the design of the Oscar statuette. You can read more of writer Mitch Owen's piece here.

Ian Espinoza rendering of Madeline Stuart's designs for the Oscar Greenroom

Dolores Del Rio and Cedric Gibbons at their home in the Santa Monica Mountains

Happy Oscar week! It's Hollywood's Super Bowl and Fashion Week all rolled into one. And personally, I can't wait until the Bond Tribute and songs by Shirley Bassey.

Photo Credits: MGM, Focus Features, Madeline Stuart/Architectural Digest

And the envelope will soon go to....

The 2013 Academy Award nominations were announced this  morning and two of my favorite style categories are always of interest. Here are the nominees for  Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design -- congrats to all!

Best Costume Design

Anna Karenina

Jacqueline Durran

Lincoln

Joanna Johnston

Mirror Mirror

Eiko Ishioka

Les Miserables

Paco Delgado

Snow White and the Huntsman

Colleen Atwood

Best Art Direction

Anna Karenina

Sarah Greenwood, Production Designer

Katie Spencer, Set Decoration

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Dan Hennah, Production Design

Ra Vincent and Simon Bright, Set Decoration

Les Miserables

Eve Stewart, Production Design

Anna Lynch-Robinson

Life Of Pi

David Gropman, Production Design

Anna Pinnock, Set Decoration

Lincoln

Rick Carter, Production Design

Jim Erickson, Set Decoration

The Academy Awards will air Sunday, February 24th. Until then, get your awards and red carpet fix this Sunday, January 13th and watch the Golden Globes.

Photo Credits: Universal, Twentieth Century Fox, Focus Features, Warner Brothers, Disney