She may hail from Australia, live near London, and travel the globe to shoot many a film, but Cate Blanchett clearly knows more than almost anyone about Hollywood style. Nobody does it better these days. So it makes sense that the luxury fashion e-comm site Net-a-Porter asked Blanchett — who’s worn much varied and all incredible looks on both her fall press tours — and her stylist, Elizabeth Stewart (who also works with Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock and Amanda Seyfried), to host a dinner with them in celebration of Hollywood style. Net-a-Porter’s team has been in town all week, hosting events, and showing a preview of their resort 2016 edit of looks.
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It was an eclectic couple of tables dining al fresco at the Chateau Marmont’s garden: L.A. designers Monique Lhuillier, J.C. Obando, Kendall Conrad, Rosetta Getty and Rodarte’s Laura Mulleavy; plus Alexandra von Furstenberg, Crystal Lourd, film producer Todd Traina, Rachel Zoe, Alex Pettyfer, George Kotsiopoulos and many others. All were dressed warmly, knowing they’d be outside on a slightly chilly L.A. fall night. “I was definitely cold,” said Blanchett. “That’s why I wore this Alex Wang turtleneck and a wool vest.”
Looking resplendent even in the simplest chic black-and-gold outfit, Blanchett answered a few questions from the press, then sat down with Stewart at her table with the designers of Wolk Morais (whose spring 2016 fashion show Stewart had styled earlier in the week), only to have to bolt after about 10 minutes. Well, when you’re an Oscar frontrunner (for Carol) — for the third time! (she has already won twice) — you’ve got a pretty packed schedule.
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Is Blanchett aware of the global response to her gowns and looks on the red carpet? She wears a multitude of designers from Givenchy to Delpozo to Valentino and Dior — and isn’t locked down to one house. “I don’t spend a lot of time trawling the internet looking for what people write about my clothes,” she smiled. “But I do love and appreciate having a dialogue with such talented designers who have such interesting and fresh ideas. It’s a privilege and a pleasure and I enjoy it so much.” And how does she choose her looks, like her amazing dark blue ballgown by Giles at Cannes this year?” Well, it’s always instinctual,” she declared.
When asked about Hollywood style, she responded: “People don’t always associate L.A. with style, but there are really interesting designers emerging out of L.A. – it’s very adventurous. I think there’s a really dark underbelly to L.A., the layers of history here – and there are important architects and artists who work here. It often gets demonized, so it’s great they’re celebrating L.A. style. There’s a sense of event. There’s so little event in our lives!” However, there are many events in the current life of Blanchett. “Yes, there are right now,” she replied. “Then there’s nothing!”
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And how did Net-a-Porter recruit Cate Blanchett?
“We have a fantastic relationship with Elizabeth Stewart,” said Net-a-Porter vice president of global buying Sarah Rutson. “And most of the stylists come to Net-a-Porter for the best edit, the best curation of what’s out there. So it’s a natural combination to come together. The good thing about Net-a-Porter for busy working women is — we’ve got great hours. We never close.”
