Merchant Ivory

Ismail Merchant and James Ivory received the Distinguished Producer/Director Award, presented to them by screen and stage star Bernadette Peters.

(Los Angeles, CA - February 19, 2005) - The Costume Designers Guild announced the winners of the 7th Annual Costume Designers Guild Awards at their awards gala, with presenting sponsor Swarovski crystal, on Saturday, February 19, 2005 at the Beverly Hilton. The event presented awards for costume design excellence in five categories for films, television and commercials. In addition to the competitive awards, the Costume Designers Guild presented honorary awards to Hall of Fame inductees, Career Achievement and Distinguished Director recipients. The event was hosted by Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen, who were joined by a star studded list of presenters and attendees including: Marcia Cross, Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russel, Rachel Griffiths, Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon, Camryn Manheim, Kathryn Morris, Ricardo Antonio Chivara, Roma Maffia, Kelly Carlson, Brenda Strong, Danny Pino, John Finn, Michael Mann and Elisabeth Rohm.

Ismail Merchant and James Ivory received the Distinguished Producer/Director Award, presented to them by screen and stage star Bernadette Peters. Legendary actress and costume collector, Debbie Reynolds, received the Swarovski President's Award, presented to her by her daughter and actress Carrie Fisher, for her passionate collection and conservation of classic hollywood costumes. Renowned director Mike Nichols introduced Anthea Sylbert as she was honored with the Lacoste Career Achievement for Film award and the Lancel Career Achievement for Television award was presented to Robert Fletcher by Leonard Nemoy. Additionally, Ruth Morley was posthumously inducted into the Anne Cole Hall of Fame. Each year the Guild highlights a specific decade of costume design. This year they paid tribute to the 1940's by highlighting the work of Irene, Vera West and René Hubert. The work-of-art silver statuettes given to recipients of the Costume Designers Guild Awards were designed by member David LeVey and created in sterling silver by Bvlgari. A woman's form draped in silver fabric, these beautiful awards convey the magical creation of costume.

long "Red Carpet-Green Stars" campaign by providing chauffeured high-mileage, super ultra low-emissions Toyota Prius Hybrid vehicles to bring celebrity participants to the awards. Eco-friendly guests included Kurt Russel & Goldie Hawn, special award recipients Debbie Reynolds, James Ivory and Ismail Merchant and presenters Bernadette Peters and Camryn Manheim. In addition, hosts Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen arrived at the event in their own personal Prius Hybrid Vehicle. The "Red Carpet-Green Stars" program will continue through next week at a star-studded "Rock the Earth" pre-Oscar party on Thursday February 24th with the Academy Awards Red Carpet arrivals on February 27th serving as the grand finale.

The gala also welcomed the next generation of designers by employing volunteers from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) in Los Angeles. All forty-five of the volunteers who assisted with the 7th annual awards are students at FIDM, an internationally recognized college of Fashion, Visual Arts, Interior Design, and Entertainment. In addition to the volunteers, a very promising student and recent graduate (respectively), Kerrie Kordowski and Suzy Magnin were hand selected to escort Career Achievement recipients Robert Fletcher and Anthea Sylbert through their special night.

The Costume Designers Guild promotes the research, artistry and technical expertise in the field of film and television Costume Design. The Costume Designers Guild was founded in 1953 by a group of 30 motion picture costume designers and was created in response to changing needs of the movie industry. Today, its membership includes motion picture, television, commercial, and stage costume designers throughout the world and totals over 600 members.

Winners of the 7th Annual Costume Designers Guild Awards

Excellence in Contemporary Film:

"The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou"
Milena Canonero

Excellence in Fantasy/Period Film:

"Lemony Snicket's a Series of Unfortunate Events"
Colleen Atwood

Excellence in Contemporary Television:

"Sex and the City"

Excellence in Fantasy/Period Television:

"The Life and Death of Peter Sellers"
Jill Taylor

Excellence in Commercial Costume Design:

Apple Computer, iPod, "Dance"
Jennifer Rade