Fashion kicks off with Golden Globes

For TV divas, the red carpet is their big moment

By ANNA STEWART

It's fashion kickoff time. First up: the Golden Globes, next the Academy Awards. While the Oscars is as intense as the Super Bowl, the more relaxed Globes pits the smallscreen against the bigscreen: On one team we have the TV clotheshorses; on the other, their big sisters, the movie stars.

The Globes red carpet is the big fashion moment for the TV crowd. "It's their chance to sparkle, shine and compete with the other girls," says stylist Phillip Bloch. "The Golden Globes has gotten continually more glamorous. It's exploded. It's all about glam, fashion, pizzazz and sparkle."

Globes fashion is more real, more exuberant. "It tends to be the TV people and not the movie people who wear the more accessible clothing," says Bravo's Tim Gunn. "They don't see themselves standing on a pedestal in a rarefied way -- at least not all of them."

For the film people, the Golden Globes is a precursor, a dress rehearsal for the big event, the Oscars, when all the heavy artillery -- the jewels, the gowns -- come out. And don't forget the coif, says hairstylist Enzo Angileri of the Yuki Sharoni Salon: "Every one of us is somehow trying to keep that special number up our sleeves for the Oscars because of more media attention, but no one should underestimate the importance of the Golden Globe. But there will always be a difference between the Golden Globes and the Oscars, almost purposefully just to give the Oscars a little more shine."

Sometimes that Oscar shine can come off as a bit glaring, say some fashionistas. "I love the Oscars, but, for me, it's like the 'Ascot Gavotte' in 'My Fair Lady,'" Gunn says. "It's all that plumage. The Globes are certainly glamorous, but it doesn't border on costume. You'll see diamond pendants, but they don't look like they came out of the Metropolitan Museum. You'll see hair and makeup that looks reasonable as opposed to everyone looking like they just stepped out of a Barnum & Bailey clown car."

Most agree. The Globes is a more relaxed affair. "At the Oscars, it's almost like the size of the jewelry gets bigger," observes Charla Lawhorn of In Style. "They are more polished and there are very few mistakes."

Makeup artist Johny Saade sees the Globes as a trial run for the Oscars. "It's like, 'Let's try something different, something cool, and if it works we'll do it again for the Oscars,'" he says.

When it comes to the marketing game, John Eckel, topper at the Alliance marketing firm, sees a more even match between the two showcases: "Both are tremendous opportunities for brands because they connect with celebrities and consumers. It's got increasingly sophisticated. It's an increasingly crowded field.

"Let's face it," he says. "Music, film, TV, fashion and sports are the five greatest touch points in reaching consumers. And four of the five are contained in these two events. There is tremendous crossover."

The red carpet is really the playing field, the first point of attack at both events. That's the place where you first make your impression. "You've got the designers, the Harry Winstons and a variety of folks getting their products front and center," says Eckel. "This is where the evening starts. That's your ground game. Then your air cover is TV and what goes on in broadcast media. So, you're on air, land and sea."

And there are the shows themselves, but the pre- and postgame hours have been integrated into the marketing plans. "You've got things like celebrity gifting suites from the swank homes in the Hollywood Hills to the 'Silver Spoon' to 'Backstage Creations' to Garry Feinstein nightclubs.

"That's where they set these things up to woo the brands. That's the way they get behind the scenes there," adds Eckel.

Even in the current recession, consumers' interest in all things celebrity and pop culture remains strong.

"We have seen some smaller companies pull back or drop out of gifting opportunities, while larger brands have tended to continue," says Andy Marks, general manager at Matter, a sports and entertainment marketing practice.

"The economic downturn has provided opportunity to better negotiate sponsorship fees on behalf of clients who wish to participate in gifting opportunities," Marks adds.

It helps, too, if the glitz is leavened with a little social concern.

"Gifting suites that have a charitable component continue to attract well-known brands and celebrities," Marks says. "Some, like the 'Access Hollywood' Golden Globe suite, make a significant donation to a charity for every celebrity who visits the gift lounge."