Barry Diller and Diane Von Furstenberg’s annual Oscar weekend lunch always falls the day before the awards and is perhaps the most-coveted invitation in town. Word had it, much like the Vanity Fair Oscar party, the guest list was being cut down dramatically this year. Panic spread through Hollywood.
Held outdoors at Diller and DVF’s house in Beverly Hills, the day is a total family affair: adorable toddlers race up and down the hill, and tweens chill on rugs laid out on the green lawn. DVF huddled with Lee Daniels and soon joined by Naomi Campbell. Between Diller and Von Furstenberg, the scene was a social explosion of fashion and entertainment power players, with some moguls thrown in the mix too. The mood was très casual. Mick Jagger sported Nikes and a snug, light grey suit jacket with jeans. Talita von Furstenberg, the stunning teenage daughter of Alex and Alexandra von Furstenberg wore skinny jeans with sleek boots.
The food is always delish: whitefish, pasta, fried chicken, numerous salads, eggplant and a spread of desserts, cookies and cakes to die over. Famous and friendly faces were at every picnic table: Birdman Oscar nominee Ed Norton, Steve Martin, Shirley MacLaine, Larry Gagosian, Ron Howard, Anna Wintour and daughter Bee Shaffer, Rupert Murdoch, Joan Collins, Christian Louboutin, Karlie Kloss, Graydon Carter (and all his kids), Lisa Eisner, and Gayle King.
The list goes on! Also spotted at DVF and Diller’s lunch: John Currin (his exhibit at Gagosian Beverly Hills, up now, is a must-see), Rachel Feinstein, Zac Posen, Ali Kay, Jennifer Meyer, Fran Lebowitz, Natalie Love, Anjelica Huston, Bob Colacello, Douglas Friedman, Francesca Gregorini, Jean Pigozzi, Richard Buckley, Rachel Zoe, Vanessa Getty, Nick Brown, Matthew Mellon and Nicole Hanley Mellon, Lawrence Bender, Russell Simmons, Tara Subkoff, Kevin Sessums, David and Madeline Netto, Bryan Lourd, Tara Summers, Brett Ratner, Andy Cohen, Ben Lee and Ione Skye Lee, Jeff Klein, Carlos Souza, Marjorie Gubelmann, Vivi Nevo, Lynn Wyatt, Tico Mugrabi, Stephen Gaghan and Minnie Mortimer, Andre Balazs, Andrew Saffir and Daniel Benedict, plus Prince Pavlos and Princess Marie Chantal of Greece, to name just a hefty handful.