Zoe Kravitz, Gwyneth Paltrow and other style gurus honored at InStyle Awards
A new awards show was minted Monday night in Los Angeles, the InStyle Awards.
The setting was the spectacular Getty Center at sunset, the first time the museum has been opened for an outside fashion event. And the crowd was A-list gold, with Kim Kardashian, Julia Roberts, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Hudson, Diane Kruger, Dakota Johnson, Selena Gomez, Michelle Williams, mother-daughter duo Lisa Bonet and Zoe Kravitz and more, on the red carpet and in the seats, alongside their behind-the-scenes image makers, including wardrobe stylists, hair stylists and makeup artists.
The mood was friendly and light, as the 140 or so guests enjoyed dinner and the awards presentation on the Richard Meier-designed terrace.
“I’m going to keep it short, because my heartburn just kicked in,” said an 8-months-pregnant Kardashian, before introducing beauty buddy Charlotte Tilbury, who received the Makeup Artist Award for keeping Kardashian, Kate Moss, Rihanna and many more looking their best. ‘I first fell in love with [Charlotte] when she told me her husband had never seen her without makeup,” Kardashian gushed, adding, “If I wasn’t doing what I’m doing, I would be a makeup artist.”
“I know it’s not all about hair … but when it is … I’m glad it’s him,” said Roberts of her pal Serge Normant, known for creating perfect beachy waves, who received the Hairstylist Award.
When founding editor Martha Nelson launched InStyle magazine in 1993, she set the scene for today’s celebrity-fashion industrial complex, by being the first fashion glossy to put a celebrity on the cover instead of a model. (Barbra Streisand was the first cover.)
And in the two plus decades since, the formula has so overtaken the magazine industry, that in the last two weeks alone, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Vogue, Teen Vogue, and T magazine have all hosted high-profile events in Hollywood to -- what else? -- schmooze with, and create photo ops and sponsorship opportunities around, celebrities.
InStyle answered, staking a claim to its Hollywood-fashion legacy, by creating its own event, which doubled as a celebration of the 14-page “Hollywood’s Best Dressed” list featured in the November issue. Fashion illustrator Donald Robertson created the statuettes honorees took home.
“L.A. is so hot right now for fashion and it’s just building in terms of its importance,” said Ariel Foxman, InStyle Editorial Director. “What we want to celebrate tonight is not just the individual talents, but the creative collaboration, the behind-the-scenes and the designers, because without them you don’t have these incredible moments that inspire readers.”
Gomez honored her stylist Kate Young, who helped her develop a more adventurous look. Bonet presented the Breakthrough Style Award to daughter Zoe Kravitz, saying her style “doesn’t scream ‘look at me,’ it says ‘here I am.’”
Judy Greer introduced Man of Style Ansel Elgort (the actor son of fashion photographer Arthur Elgort), calling him a “tall gorgeous nerd at heart.” Williams presented the Designer Award to Louis Vuitton’s Artistic Director Nicolas Ghesquiere, whom she called “the best date I’ve had in years.”
And Hudson introduced Style Icon award winner Paltrow. “The first time I met Gwyneth, I was 17, and it was at Tracey Ross on Sunset Boulevard. … I’m not sure if you all remember Tracey Ross?,” Hudson said. “I heard this voice from the dressing room and it was late ‘90s Gwyneth … I tried to keep my cool … but I never forgot what she bought because I bought the same thing, Katyone Adeli pants and a spaghetti strap tank.”
Paltrow called Hudson a sister, pointing out that they both have actress mothers “who are kind of complicated,” and married rock stars “from practically the same [expletive] town.”
Then she gave Foxman and his team the biggest compliment they could have hoped for at the closing of an inaugural event. “Well done, InStyle, because usually these things are a tacky cluster…”
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