#cdga18

LOS ANGELES, CA —February 23, 2016 – The winners of the 18th Costume Designers Guild Awards (CDGA) were announced tonight at the annual Gala, hosted by actress Betsy Brandt (“Life in Pieces,” “Breaking Bad,” “Masters of Sex”). The Guild handed out competitive awards for Costume Design Excellence in seven categories for film, television, and short-form design. LACOSTE has been a supporter of the CDGA for more than a decade and returned as Presenting Sponsor for the sixth consecutive year.

 The Guild honored two-time Academy Award® winning actress Cate Blanchett with the LACOSTE Spotlight Award, which was presented to her by three-time Academy Award® winning Costume Designer Sandy Powell. A double Academy Award® and CDGA nominee this year, Powell worked with Blanchett on three films: “The Aviator,” “Cinderella,” and “Carol.”

 The Distinguished Collaborator Award was presented to award-winning film director, screenwriter, producer, and actor Quentin Tarantino in recognition of his creative partnerships with Costume Designers. The award was presented to Tarantino by “The Hateful Eight” co-stars, Kurt Russell and Academy Award® nominee Jennifer Jason Leigh. 

 Andy Garcia, André Holland, and Lili Mirojnick presented acclaimed Costume Designer Ellen Mirojnick with this year’s Career Achievement Award for her outstanding work in film and television. Mirojnick has worked on 61 films and numerous TV projects during her 40-year career in Costume Design. Her Costume Design credits include, “Wall Street,” “Basic Instinct,” “Behind the Candelabra,” and “The Knick.” Mirojnick is currently working with Director Angelina Jolie Pitt on her next feature film.

 The 2016 Distinguished Service Award was presented to Edwina Pellikka for her dedication to the craft and art of design. Edwina has worked as a dyer, painter, and ager for every major studio since 1983. The award was presented to Pellikka by Salvador Perez, President of the Costume Designers Guild Local 892.

 Additional presenters included Mindy Kaling, Kate Beckinsale, Emily Ratajkowski, Krysten Ritter, Kiernan Shipka, Constance Zimmer, Lamorne Morris, Jaime Camil, and Adam Rodriguez.

 18th COSTUME DESIGNERS GUILD AWARD WINNERS

Excellence in Contemporary Film

Jenny Eagan - Beasts of No Nation

 Excellence in Period Film

Paco Delgado - The Danish Girl

 Excellence in Fantasy Film

Jenny Beavan - Mad Max: Fury Road

 Outstanding Contemporary Television Series

Lou Eyrich - American Horror Story: Hotel

 Outstanding Period Television Series

Ellen Mirojnick -The Knick

 Outstanding Fantasy Television Series

Michele Clapton - Game of Thrones

 Excellence in Short Form Design

LOS ANGELES, CA —January 6, 2016—Two-time Academy Award® winning actress Cate Blanchett will receive the LACOSTE Spotlight Award at the 18th Costume Designers Guild Awards (CDGA) on February 23, 2016 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. 

 The LACOSTE Spotlight Award honors an actor whose talent and career personify an enduring commitment to excellence, including a special awareness of the role and importance of costume design. Blanchett is being honored for her unparalleled talent as much as for her status within the costume design community. Her appreciation for the artistry of costume design and her collaboration with the Costume Designers has made her an icon both on and off the screen.

 Blanchett has received much recognition throughout her career with two Academy Award® wins and more than 200 awards and nominations, including those from the prestigious Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards®, BAFTA, and Independent Spirit Awards.

 She has been praised for her roles in films such as The Aviator, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, I’m Not There, Blue Jasmine, Notes on a Scandal, Veronica Guerin, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Bandits, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.

 Most recently, Blanchett stars alongside Rooney Mara in Carol, directed by Todd Haynes and based on Patricia Highsmith’s novel The Price of Salt. She also serves as an executive producer on the project, which was produced in association with Dirty Films, the company that Blanchett founded with Andrew Upton.

 Last year, Blanchett starred as evil stepmother, Lady Tremaine, in Disney’s live-action adaptation of Cinderella, working closely with beloved Costume Designer Sandy Powell and director Kenneth Branagh. Blanchett also received rave reviews for her role as Mary Mapes in Truth for which she starred opposite Robert Redford. Blanchett will soon appear in Terrence Malick's films Knight of Cups and Voyage of Time.

 LACOSTE has been a supporter of the CDGA for more than a decade and returns as Presenting Sponsor for the seventh consecutive year. 

 Whether on playing fields or in everyday life, LACOSTE’s story is rooted in a quest for authenticity, performance, and elegance. Each crocodile-branded product is designed to allow men and women to feel free in their mind and body with clothes and accessories that enable confidence and ease by adapting to an ever-changing life. It’s this vision of optimism and courage that is promoted by the brand message: “Life is a Beautiful Sport.” 

 For the fourth year, LACOSTE will partner with the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) and their costume design students on creative collaborations. This year, five students were asked to select an iconic character from Quentin Tarantino films, research their selection, and sketch and design a polo shirt based on the character. LACOSTE provided each student with its famous branded polo shirts, as well as piqué fabric, trims, and crocodile logos. Using the provided materials, they will sketch, design, and construct their character's polo shirt. The shirts and their accompanying sketches will be displayed at the 18th CDGA as well as at the LACOSTE Symposium, an intimate Q&A event with today’s leading Costume Designers, on February 24th. The FIDM students will attend the Awards Gala as guests of LACOSTE.  

 With the support of presenting sponsor LACOSTE, the red carpet and black-tie awards gala celebrates outstanding film, television, and short form costume design. The CDGA has become a marquee event of the Hollywood awards season, notable for its lively, fun, warm, and engaging celebration of Costume Designers and their essential contribution to film and television. The awards presentation will honor the work of Costume Designers in seven categories, including contemporary, period, and fantasy film and television.

 The 18th CDGA will be produced by JumpLine, with Executive Producer JL Pomeroy, Supervising Producer Sarah Cowperthwaite, and Producer Demetra Stavrakas. For more information about the awards, visit: http://www.jumpline-group.com/cdga.

COSTUME DESIGNERS GUILD AWARDS

Jumped at the opportunity to attend The 18th Costume Designers Guild Awards with two of my favorite people, Elaine (@iamfashionlaine) and Lacoste. 

Krysten Ritter at the 2016 Costume Designer Guild Awards.

Emily Ratajkowski at the 2016 Costume Designer Guild Awards.