Aclutch of Hollywood's top stylists, a powerful coterie of women (and two men) who help the stars decide what to wear when they step out, gathered at Barneys in Beverly Hills last week for an ultra-secret meeting.
Addressing them was L'Wren Scott, a whippet-thin ex-model who, at 1.9 metres, could be forgiven for any hint of hauteur.
Outside of, say, Julia Roberts or Angelina Jolie, Scott has one of the most enviable jobs in Hollywood. At least for today.
She was hand-picked by the husband-and-wife producing team of the Academy Awards, Richard and Lili Fini Zanuck, to be the style designer for tomorrow night's show.
Earlier this month, Scott flew to London, Milan, Paris and New York to be on the front-lines of what's happening style-wise in the world. She brought back stacks of photographs and fabric swatches. Following her were cases filled with beaded confections from the world's leading designers.
For while the Academy Awards, now in their 72nd year, are fundamentally a tribute to last year's finest films and performances, the event is as much about who's wearing what. Hollywood and fashion, thanks to magazines like In-Style and stars like Gwyneth Paltrow on the cover of Vogue, have never been more symbiotic.
