Winners Golden Globes
Bright gowns light up Globes red carpet
Intensely coloured gowns have illuminated the rain-soaked red carpet at the Golden Globes in Los Angeles, evoking the 3-D spectacles of Avatar and Alice In Wonderland.

Hollywood’s A-list stars embraced the new decade wearing brilliant tones of cobalt blue, purple, green and searing red – reminiscent of 1950s French glamour.

Leading stars chose action-packed colours, including award winner Sandra Bullock in a dynamic strapless purple gown by Bottega Veneta.

She competed against Diane Kruger in a fuchsia Christian Lacroix dress, breakthrough star Gabourey Sidibe wearing intense green and Ginnifer Goodwin dressed in an electrifying blue Vionnet frock for the brightest red carpet award.

But for all the brave new world of colour there were plenty of celebrities who reverted to old-school Hollywood glamour.

Drew Barrymore, who picked up an award for her role in Grey Gardens, looked like she belonged in a spring garden in her Atelier Versace gown, as did Chloe Sevigny who wore a heavily ruffled Valentino design, and Australia’s Nicole Kidman in blush satin Nina Ricci.

Mad Men’s Christina Hendricks flaunted plenty of va-va-voom curves in a soft but sexy peach dress, while Kate Hudson opted for a heavily sculptured 1950s couture-style gown.

Emily Blunt also followed the nude trend, looking romantic in a Dolce & Gabbana blush dress of chiffon, while another pastel princess, Maggie Gyllenhaal walked the red carpet in a salmon-coloured gown complete with mermaid tail by Roland Mouret.

Even George Clooney’s girlfriend Elisabetta Canalis, the face of Robert Cavalli lingerie, opted for a pale pink gown.

The Golden Globes red carpet is a style barometer for which major trends will dominate the fashion year.

Hollywood and the fashion industry are closely intertwined and the new wave of old couture-inspired bold colours, fabrics and shapes laced with a dreamy 1950s feel had a sense of back to the future.

The Globes’ real surprise was the return of French dressing with many celebrities looking more like new wave screen goddesses.

Names like Vionnet, Nina Ricci, Lanvin, and Balenciaga spoke volumes of a generation of women determined to prove they are fashion icons outside of Hollywood’s commercial machine.

Plenty of oh-la-la style was on display thanks to Mad Men’s January Jones looking very French 1950s in a black Lanvin dress.

Nine star Marion Cotillard won top marks in a one-shoulder green gown by Dior complete with a lace-revealing slit.

Julianne Moore donned large Bulgari earrings with her Balenciaga gown.

“She looks stunning, amazing and the earrings are going to end up in my pocket at the end of the evening,” oozed Tom Ford, the fashion designer turned director of A Single Man for which Moore was nominated as best supporting actress.

Proving Australian style has come of age on the red carpet were award winners Toni Collette and nominee Rose Byrne.

The TV stars were pure movie star glamour – Collette in a gold beaded Elie Saab gown complete with a chic up-do hair style and Byrne in a Lanvin aubergine column dress.

Also waving the Australian fashion flag was Natalie Mark, stylist and girlfriend of Avatar star Sam Worthington. Mark chose to collaborate with designer Alex Perry, and insisted on wearing red for her big walk down the red carpet.

“It was really sweet of Natalie to choose an Australian designer given the designer options that literally arrive on celebrities’ doorsteps,” Perry explained.

“But when they do wear an Australian designer and go to the effort it’s such a great thing.”

Perry is not a stranger to the Hollywood red carpet, having previously dressed actress Deborah-Lee Furness for the 2009 Academy Awards which were hosted by her husband Hugh Jackman.

“Natalie looks so young and usually dresses that way but the Globes are her first big red carpet event and she wanted to look glamorous, beautiful but still young.

“She has a beautiful figure and always wanted to wear red, it’s her time to look glamorous.”

Mark completed her sophisticated look with other Australian style experts including jewellery designed by Stefano Canturi and makeup by celebrity makeup artist Napoleon Perdis.
Winners Golden Globes

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