Ugly truth of Hollywood’s hottest Oscars after-party

It used to be one of the most exclusive Oscars parties in Hollywood with a guest list that included only the A-list.

But Vanity Fair’s famous Academy Awards event has raised eyebrows this year with guests that had limited relevance in Hollywood and corporate sponsorships so OTT that one publication has declared it “past its prime”.

One way to get into the VF party in 2019 was to use hotel loyalty points to “bid” for tickets in a web auction, the New York Times said.

“It used to be a special insider event. Now it’s a week-long corporate branding-palooza,” a former studio executive told the Times.

This year’s Vanity Fair party, held in Beverly Hills, was attended by a string of models and photo-hungry social climbers who had limited relevance in Hollywood.

The guest list was also taken up with “brand partners” and advertisers of Vanity Fairincluding executives from L’Oréal Paris, Giorgio Armani Beauty, Johnnie Walker, Hennessy X.O, according to the New York Times. It also included IMG Models.

BEST LOOKS FROM OSCARS RED CARPET

OSCARS PREP: INSANE ‘BLOOD’ FACIALS

The Times published a scathing take-down of the event where it stated: “For the insecure A-listers of the film business, an invitation to the Vanity Fair Oscar party used to be a status symbol”.

“When invitations went out this year, one of my big clients asked me, ‘Is Vanity Fair still a hot invite?,’ which tells you everything you need to know,” a public relations heavyweight told the Times.

The mantle once held by VF party’s as the hottest ticket in Hollywood has been replaced by Oscars events thrown by actual celebs like Jay Z and Beyonce, who held an ultra private closed-to-media event inside the garage at Chateau Marmont.

Jay Z and Beyonce’s party attracted Drake, Rihanna (who left the party in a pair of Chateau Marmont slippers), Jennifer Lopez and Leonardo DiCaprio, along with Adam Driver, Natalie Portman, Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom and Serena Williams.

There was no red carpet. No phones. And no photos.

Though it is no longer the status symbol it once was, at the Vanity Fair party, photos were being taken everywhere. It was all about posing and posting on Instagram.

Though one definite highlight of the Vanity Fair party, held at The Wallis Annenberg Centre for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, was Kendall Jenner who wore a jaw-dropping dress by Rami Kadi and no underwear.

Says it all, really.