Chic Electrique

Directed by Jean-Paul Goude in 1990, this commercial for the Chanel men’s fragrance Egoïste is one of the best ever. And 20 years later, it’s still edgy and humorous.

It was made in an era where major brands didn’t rely on celebrity spokespeople. Instead, they spent that money on creative campaigns which would allow them to stand out and remain anchored in our minds.

Goude also directed a sequel for Egoïste Platinum, un updated version of the fragrance, in 1994. It shows what’s going on inside the “egoïste” man’s apartment. Absolutely brilliant.

Egoiste

Egoiste Platinum

In the fashion capital of the world, even the postage stamps are ooh la la. For the past few years, La Poste has gotten together with famous French fashion houses, such as Jean-Louis Scherrer and even Chanel and YSL, to make sure your postcards and letters are chic. The heart-shaped stamps are colorful and cartoonish and come in sheets for collectors.

The latest couture brands to stamp themselves are Emanuel Ungaro and Lanvin, the oldest French haute couture house. Created by Jeanne Lanvin in 1889, Lanvin is celebrated its 100th anniverary with two stamps: one lipstick red and the other vivacious violet. Perfect for making a fashion statement or to seal your letter with a bisou…

When I was a tween, I used to love watching reruns of Gidget on lazy Sunday afternoons. Inspired by the 1959 movie starring Sandra Dee, it was a sitcom from the 60s starring a 15-year-old Sally Field (who still looks the same, I swear, minus a few wrinkles) about the adventures of sweet surfer Gidget and her group of friends. They hung out at the beach a lot, surfed and got into all sorts of innocent trouble.

Fast forward to 2010. If they were to remake Gidget today, she would probably be a spoilt Malibu fashion victim prancing around in a $300 Erès bikini whilst carrying her $4,000 Chanel surfboard for all to see.

I can think of so many other ways to waste money. Like buying 4 or 5 Louboutin shoes. Or Gidget – The Complete Series on DVD at Amazon.com. Or paying rent and bills.

A modern-day high-fashion Gidget?

I like the red one. Which one do you like?

Jeff Bridges with co-star Maggie Gyllenhaal in Crazy Heart. (20th Century Fox)

Ah, Jeff Bridges. One of the best actors of all time but certainly the most underestimated. He officially became my favorite actor when I saw him in The Fabulous Baker Boys. He was moody, gruff and so incredibly sexy. And he has made some great choices. From The Fisher King and The Big Lebowski to Iron Man and Men Who Stare At Goats, he is memorable in each. And I couldn’t imagine anyone more suited than him to play in Crazy Heart. Jeff and T-Bone are the heart and soul of the movie. Oscar or no Oscar, Jeff Bridges is top of the crop. 

The superb Jeremy Renner in Kathryn Bigelow's Oscar-winning Hurt Locker. (Summit Entertainment)

Hoorah for Kathryn Bigelow for being the first woman to win the Best Director award. It coincided nicely with the International Woman’s Day (March 8). While The Hurt Locker is a great movie, raw, realistic and gritty, it wasn’t my first choice for Best Picture. Yet I’m so glad the boring (yes, I said it) Avatar didn’t win. Visually, there’s no question – it’s beautiful. But the script is rather  poor. It’s fine to try and get a message across, but the words that carry it need to be as powerful as the special effects. 

A star is born: Gabourey Sidibé in Precious: Based On The Novel 'Push' By Sapphire. (Lionsgate)

In the Best Actress category, I frankly liked all of the nominees, but I was secretly hoping that Gabourey Sidibe (doesn’t she have the cutest face?!) or Sandra Bullock would take it home. The former is simply aaah-mazing in Precious: Based On the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire and the latter – under-appreciated, like Jeff Bridges – has finally shown what she’s made of in The Blind Side. In real life, she’s classy, funny and quirky enough to accept a Razzie with grace, which really makes up much of her appeal. Glückwunsch!  

But pooh on the Academy for failing to include Farrah Fawcett in the “In Memoriam” sequence. 

Red carpet style
But the best part about watching award shows is the clothes. The red carpet is one big catwalk and can make or break someone’s status as a fashion icon. Demi Moore came on top of my best dressed list with her wrapped and ruffled Versace gown. Queen Latifah’s pale pink gown was ravishing and Mariska Hargitay’s navy silk Vera Wang dress was très belle. Cameron Diaz’s shimmery gold Oscar de la Renta dress was reminiscent of Old Hollywood (she rarely makes a misstep), while Rachel McAdams’ Elie Saab gown was flowy and colorful like a watercolor painting. 

I’d like to know why Jennifer Lopez had an “extra ass” at the side of her Armani Privé dress (oh, it’s called a “side train”. Whatever) and why Barbra Streisand was covering up with what looked like a man’s tuxedo jacket. Was it borrowed because the AC was on too high? Did she spill something on her dress?  

Vera Farmiga looked like she was drowning in the multiple giant “fans” of her fuschia Marchesa dress. Tina Fey needs a new stylist. Fast. Her Michael Kors dress was yet another fashion faux pas for the actress.  

Fashion icon Sarah Jessica Parker could have done better than the yellow Chanel gown. It didn’t suit her complexion and looked like a bag, simply put.  

I didn’t care for the top half of Charlize Theron’s Christian Dior dress. The two roses on the bust looked something from Madonna’s 1990 wardrobe and distracted from the rest of the dress. Zoe Saldana’s problem was her bottom half. Her Givenchy dress looks gorgeous but the colorful tiered frills at the bottom of her mermaid-cut gown were overkill. I get that she was paying some sort of homage to Avatar with that dress, but it simply aggravated the Fashion Police. (I’m joining the style forces and getting my badge soon.)