Red Carpet Sketching...

Since the 84th Annual Academy Awards are coming up--THIS SUNDAY NIGHT!!!---I was asked about my predictions of what the stars might be wearing. So, I thought, well, why not take it a step further and actually draw MY visions of what the Academy Award-nominated Best Actresses would be wearing if I was asked (a little boy can DREAM n'est pas?) to design and create their Oscars Red Carpet Gowns.

So, without further ado, here are my designs for actresses Rooney Mara, Meryl Streep, Michelle Williams, Glenn Close, and Viola Davis. All of these "Dream Illustrations" are based on some of my NIKOLAKI dresses and gowns from my collection. Let's begin with:

Rooney Mara: Rooney is the 2012 Fashion "It" Girl--the Cate Blanchett of this year. I see Rooney in something that is NOT black! She LOVES the color black and so therefore I want to take her out of her "comfort zone" and have her wear RED! I also envision her in a directional statement-making dress.

This gown is based on one of my NIKOLAKI cocktail dresses from my Spring 2011 Collection (above photo) and it features an asymmetrical neckline/top section and a very architectural cascade drape in the front of the structured silk ziberline gown.

Meryl Streep: For Meryl, I wanted to see her in something softer--more "Grecian Goddess". So I sketched this gown above. She's been wearing lots of black for recent award shows and so therefore I wanted to go in the opposite direction. The color would be a vanilla creme and it would be in silk jersey.

The gown would feature a high cowl neckline and asymmetrical open back detail with side-draped cowl, just like the original gown from my collection which I based it on (above photo). There would be figure-hugging and complimentary side pleating that would fall into a dramatic side back. It would be DRAMATIC, SEXY and oh-so fab for that three-quarter I-am-holding-my-Oscar-statuesque shot! It would also be such a departure from those too-stiff 80's suits a la Margaret Thatcher.

Michelle Williams: Gorgeous Michelle. She wore a beautiful silver-blue Chanel Haute Couture sequined gown for last year's Academy Awards and I'd love to see her in head-to-toe sequins once again. But my NIKOLAKI design would be in a lilac/lavender color --very similar to this gown of mine:

However, the sequin and color detail would Ombre from light to dark/light to heavy at the hem. My design features a plunging neckline but it is delicately hidden by an attached silk chiffon capelet. The shape would be fit-to-flare and feature a sexy side slit (she was TOO covered up at the 2012 Golden Globes).

Glenn Close: For Glenn, I wanted to also take her out of her black color fashion comfort zone and create a gown in a midnight blue. I also know she loves that Mermaid Shape so I did a variation on this, based on one of my NIKOLAKI Mermaid-shaped gowns.

The gown would be in a stiffer silk ziberline or taffeta and have hand-applied Swarovski crystal embellishment at the waist and neckline--again, for that ever-so-important three quarter shot! Finally, I would semi-cover her shoulders and biceps with horizontal pleated drape accents.

Viola Davis: Finally, for Viola, I sketched this Fashion Goddess illustration. First off, I would LOVE to see Viola in a gown of this color: apple green. This is THE color for Spring/Summer 2012 and we saw it on a lot of the Paris, Milan, NY runways. If anyone can WORK this color, it's Miss Viola. The silk chiffon gown would be gathered at the bust as well as the center front, like this gown below from my NIKOLAKI Collection:

There would be a high side slit for dramatic red carpet posing and yes, her torso--and "Sistahs" (she's been displaying them a lot lately)--would be elegantly positioned, with this gown. Finally, I added a very DIVA-like 20+ yards of silk chiffon cape attached to the gown at the back. This would flow as she walked like a Spartan Empress waiting to greet her 10,000 warriors--or her Oscar statue!

I can't wait to see on Sunday night what these actresses decide to wear to the 84th Annual Academy Awards--and if my original sketches/designs were actually better...or not-so-much!

Click Below for my "Oscar Fashion" What I Would Design For The Nominees Segment with NBC-LA's Cary Berglund from the fabulous FIDM Museum "Oscars Costumes" Exhibition: