The Oscar Envelope Gets a Makeover; Carpetbagger

By BROOKS BARNES

16 February 2011

NYT Blogs (New York Times)

LOS ANGELES- It's the equivalent of discovering that the Oscar statuettes are purchased at Spencer's Gifts. The sealed envelopes used at the Academy Awards apparently come from . . . Staples.

Or at least they have in previous years. This year, the Oscar envelope is getting a highbrow makeover courtesy of Marc Friedland, a Los Angeles stationery designer. Mr. Friedland's envelopes will be "hand-crafted from a high-gloss, iridescent metallic gold paper stock, with red-lacquered lining featuring the Oscar statuette hand-stamped in satin gold leaf."

The announcement came from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Wednesday, the latest in a drip, drip, drip of news releases detailing the ornamental side of the ceremony. Another example: Mark Held, the florist of choice for moviedom's A-list, has been tapped to create table centerpieces for the official post-Oscar dinner.

"Bejeweled" lamps will cast "soft lighting" on arrangements that combine tropical flowers and "succulents that are highlighted with feathers and metallic accents." In other words, the plants will resemble cha-cha stars from the 1970s