Socially Subdued : Days of Glitz and Glamour Give Way to a Kinder, Gentler and More Sensible Party Era
Glitz is dead.
The era of the overdone party in Los Angeles, with enough glitter to light a mid-size city, is over. In its place for the 1990s, say those in the know, will be a subdued social scene.
Gone will be buffet tables straining under the weight of tray after tray of elaborate gourmet edibles. Also on the wane are extravagant, outsize exotic floral arrangements, poufy dresses and outlandish party decor.
The influences, say the experts, are our continuing concern for the environment, plus a President and First Lady whose style is home and hearth, not Galanos and glamour.
Here’s how some party pros think L.A.’s social scene will change in the next decade:
Question: How will parties and events change in the ‘90s in terms of decorations, food and overall style?
Sharon Sacks, party planner, Just Call Sharon: “My feeling is that people will be toning down their events. I think people are into a simpler, classier type of event. You can have hot dogs and baked beans and it can be very elegant in its presentation. I find that most of my clients don’t want the glitz because it’s been overdone. Also, versatility is going to be a keyword. People aren’t drinking as much, and there have to be ways to accommodate them with non-alcoholic beverages. Some people are vegetarians. And there is still going to be a concern about low-fat, low-cholesterol foods.”
David Corwin, co-owner, Ambrosia Caterers: “What is definitely going to happen in the ‘90s--has already started--is that the special events industry is going to become environmentally responsible. As the population grows and the resources of the planet get smaller, entertaining will have to be geared toward that. Already we’re seeing leftover food from parties going to feed the homeless. Gone will be the days of elaborate buffets laden with wasted food. People will feel guilty and they’re not going to do that anymore. There won’t be any lack of style, but the abundance will be gone. There shouldn’t be 100 choices. And nobody will suffer for it. Every aspect of catering and party planning is going to have to be rethought, including recycling.”
Carl Bendix, co-owner, Ambrosia Caterers: “There’s a higher level of sophistication that’s been developed in L.A. in terms of style and presentation. I think the heightened awareness of foods and a media blitz on all types of cuisine has really educated people. We can look back on the last 10 years and see how things have changed. Ten years ago we had never heard of Thai food, and now it’s standard. I think one of the reasons for this is the city’s growing ethnic diversity, and an increasing fascination with these countries and what people eat.”
Clive David, party planner: “In the next decade we’ll see more accelerated change as what’s happening in Europe and the rest of the world on a political basis filters through the economy, introducing new styles. It will also bring a breath of fresh air and hopefully taste to this ghastly glitz which has developed and gone out of control in the ‘80s. People are craving style instead of crazy madness, and as far as I’m concerned, if people are not the focal point of a social event, then the rest is proverbial wretched excess, and that’s what’s been happening.
“President and Mrs. Bush have already got a very sound perspective on the social aspects of the White House. You don’t feel like you’re on the outside looking in. You can relate to it. When it’s a very high style, a la the Kennedy and the Reagan White Houses, you can only look at it and sort of say, ‘Well, that’s another world.’ ”
Q: Will movie premieres, L.A.’s signature event, change at all?
Carlotta Florio, executive director of special projects for Tri-Star Pictures: “I think we’re going to continue to do premieres that are also charity benefits. Instead of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to have people walking around at a party, at least it will benefit someone. By doing that you can justify the cost, but I also think there is something quite wonderful about being able to help those less fortunate. That’s what we did all year long, with almost every film we premiered with a major event, and even with some of our smaller ones.”
Q: What will the club scene be like?
Richard Lange, features editor, RIP magazine: “Right now clubs are sort of dead. Either you pay $20 and put up with a lot of attitude from a doorman, or go to an underground club, pay $10 and stand in a sweatbox with kids who are there because they can drink without getting carded. I went to one club that was nice, it was very friendly and there was such a good mixture of people. Nobody cared what you wore or what you drove or where you had dinner before you got there. I’ve been spending more and more evenings with my friends, sitting around and watching a video. It’s hard to find anywhere good to go.”
Q: What will the look of flowers be, both for at-home entertaining and black-tie events?
Clifford Miller, florist, The Flower Shop: “We’re going to see more of a homey look, with old, chipped terra cotta pots that look like they’ve been sitting on the patio. No one’s into those glazed pots anymore. People are going to be into saying they grew (the flowers) themselves, or have it look like they did. They want to know the botanical names of things, they want to project the idea that they care about the plants. I think the overall look is going to tone down a lot. The whole ‘Dynasty’ era is over now.”
Milo Bixby, florist: “I think we’re going to go back to the kind of traditional, wonderful English design with fresh flowers done in generous bouquets, very gardeny looking and unfloristy. I think we’re also going to see plants mixed with flowers, or blooming trees; all these things instead of trendy-looking things. I think that stuff is out and we’re going into that ‘old money’ look in decorating.”
Q: Will security be an increasingly important element in public and private events?
Gavin de Becker, consultant on life safety to public figures: “More than any other element of public events or social life, security is the area that needs to improve. If you don’t come up with a better way to put up a garden tent, it’s not that serious. But if people don’t come up with better ways for access control, that is serious. As an observer, I see terrible compromises in security in the vast majority of Hollywood events that I go to that our company is not involved with. I think the traditional sort of rent-a-hulk approach to (security for events) will be reduced, particularly for sophisticated media figures.”
Doug Collins, president, Collins Special Services: “Yes, it will. Now they have security for everything, like bar mitzvahs, that was unheard of 10 years ago. People are not safe anymore. We have a population with a certain segment that is totally out of control. I really don’t see metal detectors used at fancy black-tie parties unless an incident occurs, but we’re already using them at things like concerts.”
Q: What will the well-dressed woman be wearing for evenings out and in, and will the controversy surrounding fur coats continue to be influential?
Kevan Hall, designer: “I think it’s going to be a more pared-down look; a classical, sexy look, instead of embellishing things with beading. The luxury is going to come from the fabrics, and I think we’re going to see the continuation of the slimmer silhouette, very soft. It’s going to be the case where the woman shines through, and the clothes are a backdrop. In the ‘80s the clothes were so flashy, with the bubbles and the poufs, and getting in and out of cars with those skirts on was a little overwhelming.
“At first I thought since we’ve seen these protests against furs before, they’d pass. But I think at this point people are very, very sincere, and they really mean business. Women are selling their furs, donating their furs. I love fur, personally, but I think my level of consciousness is being raised by all the protests and the women I’m hearing from.”
Patricia Fox, director of fashion and marketing for Saks Fifth Avenue, Southern California: “People are going for more comfort and I think they’ll be doing that into the ‘90s. For evening, I think that will translate into people staying more in their own style, the style they use during the day. If they’re tailored during the day, they’ll remain tailored at night, with jackets and long, slim skirts. I think they’ll be truer to their own fashion personalities, and go for their own comfort.”
Yvette Crosby, Yvette Crosby and Co., a fashion production company: “Entertaining at home is already starting to turn into the wave of the future, what with people practically running their lives out of their homes. Women will be dressing comfortably and elegantly; soft, slouchy chic. For black-tie events we’re going to be less frivolous, not so much the sequined dress. It’s going to be more relaxed. When I go to black-tie events now, women don’t dress up as much.
“And I think furs are a thing of the past. I don’t think (the anti-fur movement) is a trend, I think it’s finally over.”
Q: Will at-home entertaining become more popular, and what forms will it take?
Joe Ruggiero, editor in chief, Home magazine: “There’s no question that people will be entertaining at home. We’ve seen that happen in the ‘80s, and it’s going to get even more important. I think it might go back to the old potluck supper, with people bringing things, so it’s not all on the hostess. We’re seeing kitchens being designed for more flow between it and the rest of the house, being designed with furniture, spilling into all parts of the house. And kitchens are being outfitted with woks, wood-burning pizza ovens and bread ovens.”
Ginny Mancini, president, Society of Singers, hostess: “I don’t normally entertain large groups of people, unless, of course, it’s for some charity I have an interest in, and then I try to accommodate as many people as I can. But at home I prefer small groups. We’re planning a Twelfth Night party and are asking people come in sweats, and we’re just going to have a big pot of cassoulet and kick back and have a very relaxed evening.
“Will more people be doing this? It’s hard to say. We go to a lot of dinner parties where the table settings are elaborate and very beautiful, but I’m inclined to do less of that. First of all, planning a party like that is so time-consuming, and I’d rather spend the time working on projects I’m interested in. I’m just not that interested in the formality anymore.”
