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Hollywood follows French fashionistas

As the Oscars draw near, there is almost as much buzz about what stars will wear as there is about who will win an award.

Fashion and Hollywood have never been cozier, as actresses replace models on the covers of magazines and consumers increasingly take their style cues from famous role models.

Christian Dior knows the value of a celebrity endorsement. The French fashion house features Charlize Theron in advertisements for its fragrance J'adore and has enlisted Sharon Stone to promote its anti-aging skincare line.

Among the front-row guests at its autumn-winter ready-to-wear show on Tuesday were two of Hollywood's hottest properties, Kate Hudson and Jessica Alba.

``I'm wearing all Dior,'' Hudson confided as she faced photographers, dressed in a cream coat and white satin high heels.

It is safe to assume the outfit was a gift, though Dior refuses to comment on its relationships with celebrity guests. In fact, most labels will flatly deny they compensate stars for attending their shows, though it is widely known that the practice exists.

``I think there's a certain harsh reality attached to it, you know, the color of money,'' said Hilary Alexander, fashion editor at Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper.

``I think there are people who turn up at Dior because they adore it. But there's no doubt some of the brands, Versace and also Dior, do pay people or certainly give them a wardrobe,'' she added.

A free dress is a piffling investment for a mega-brand like Dior, which spends up to US$1.2 million on its catwalk extravaganzas. Guests arriving at the majestic iron-and-glass Grand Palais were greeted by waiters serving mulled wine, before stepping into a red plexiglass box with a mirrored floor.

As rock anthems blasted from the loudspeakers, models stepped out in ultra-skinny biker pants and cinched leather jackets with goat fur trim. Their straight black wigs tied back with scarves were pure Ozzy Osbourne.

Pencil skirts featured seams turned inside out to decorative effect, while a chocolate wool coat disintegrated at the edges into a fine layer of embroidered chiffon.

There were plenty of new variations on the Gaucho bag, which is shaping up as the must-have accessory for spring. Though British designer John Galliano focused on daywear in this ``Gothic Chic'' collection, his swinging gypsy dress was a red carpet shoo-in.

``When I feel like getting dressed up and looking glamorous, I like what John does very much,'' actress Marisa Berenson said before the show.

The former model, whose film credits include Death in Venice, thinks the paparazzi hoopla is all part of the game.

``It gives it that buzz, and I think everybody would love to be dressed in Dior clothes. I'm one of the lucky ones that gets to wear them, and in my business and the world I live in, it's nice to be able to look great and feel good,'' she said.
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