“I Mean…What?!?” – Abe Gurko

AND THE WINNER IS…BORRIS POWELL

Last week, I worked on the Oscars Designer Challenge 2011. It is a pretty cool concept: Up-and-coming fashion designers submit sketches of red carpet dresses to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The best designs are selected by a jury and then the dresses are featured in the Challenge, as a runway presentation to the media. The winning dress is worn by that girl who hands out the Oscars to each winner, so the visibility is global fabulosity. If you think about it, its a better reality show that The Fashion Show or some of these other Johnny Come Lately fashion contest shows because you cannot beat having your dress on the Oscars telecast and on the Red Carpet. I told Toni Thompson, who has spearheaded this project, that this would make a great reality show, but sadly, the Oscars don’t see things My Way.

Here are a few of the final entries but click to oscar.com and register to vote for your favorite dress. That is how the winner is decided, by your vote. Move over American Idol. The Oscars Designer Challenge is on! The hair for the presentation was done by Roy Teeluck and his crack team of hair people that he flew in from New York and Miami. The make-up was done by Bruce Grayson and his team of Los Angeles based beautification experts.

Photography: 4seasons-photography.com