Ahead of the 97th Academy Awards, Diane von Furstenberg hosted her annual Oscar nominees luncheon in celebration of women in film.
The Wednesday, Feb. 26, event, which took place in Los Angeles, was hosted by the legendary fashion designer, 78, alongside filmmakers Ava DuVernay and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, and NBCUniversal chairperson Donna Langley.
The entryway to the venue featured all of the female nominees and their respective projects and upon arrival, attendees were asked to sign the nominee wall. Guests included Zooey Deschanel, Rachel Zoe, fashion designer Aurora James and The Substance director Coralie Fargeat.
After cocktails, von Furstenerg introduced her co-hosts and delivered a welcome speech.
“Today is not about visibility,” von Furstenberg said. “It is about recognizing each other and connecting because I know in the past, quite a few people have met each other here and that’s when the magic happens.”
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She continued, “I’m very happy that I have three hosts with me — three formidable bada– women who are my friends, who make s— happen.”
Following remarks from DuVernay, Obaid-Chinoy and Langley, Dove Cameron performed a rendition of “At Last” as well as a new original song from her upcoming album Breaks Open.
In her introduction of Cameron, von Furstenberg shared, “Don’t forget about agility. The world is so crazy right now that we really need agility. So pack light and be ready for anything and fasten your seatbelt when you need to fasten it.”
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She concluded, “And remember, to be in charge is a commitment to yourself. It’s owning who you are. It’s a daily practice. And once you are in charge, you can also practice the power of kindness. So today, connect, expand, inspire and advocate.”
Curated by chef and author Jane Coxwell, the menu for the event featured a range of dishes including roasted salmon with beet puree and a smoked duck breast over carrot ginger puree from her upcoming brand OKO, and a shaved Brussels sprout salad with dates.
Alana Jones-Mann created custom cakes decorated in DVF archival prints, and Yasmine Mei selected the florals, which featured fresh cut poppies, tulips, anemones and more from a local L.A. farm.
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