Amidst a whirlwind of red carpets and black-tie events at the Toronto International Film Festival, celebrities were spotted resting in their natural habitat at the Tastemakers Celebrity Gift Lounge. The eco-glam theme attracted visiting talent who were happy to escape the festival madness for the body-pampering, conscience-boosting luxury of the Portman Room at the InterContinental Toronto Yorkville Hotel.
The lounge was a place where visiting talent could relax, receive final touches on their makeup, find a quick snack, and most importantly, pick out their own swag from an enormous selection of products. This year marked its third appearance at the festival, but it was the first time the lounge seemed to come alive - literally. That is due largely to the creative and strategic vision of Rock-it Promotions president, Debra Goldblatt, who also developed and managed the space.
“There has never been a better trend then everybody attempting to go GREEN,” Goldblatt explains, “We not only wanted to continue providing a great Canadian lounge to visit, but during a week of frivolity and fun, use this opportunity to support a charity and continue educating others!”
HGTV’s Designer Guys were responsible for decorating the 1251 square foot space, as well as planning and securing all of the furnishing rentals. A living wall was erected in the center of the room in order to manage the space, and as an integral part of the overall design. The E.L.T. (elevated landscape technology) was literally a wall of live plants, flowers, and the occasional spider. Reflecting a secondary goal of the lounge - to promote Canadian talent and product - the living wall was provided by Ontario-based company, ELT Easy Green.
The attention to detail, and commitment to purpose, was evident. Every piece of the room had a natural feel and eco-conscious element, including the cork floors provided by Carpet One, a red salvaged-branch chandelier courtesy of Atelier, and giant art installations made of insulated concrete forms from Greenblock. The existing lighting in the room was offset by Eurolite and Bullfrog Power, a company devoted to providing 100% green power in Ontario and Alberta. The furnishings were selected from several companies and included Felt, a company that relies on plush recycled materials and the creative talent of artist Kathryn Walter, and the upscale, re-used aluminum line, Klaus by Nienkämper. Other design and furnishing providers were Urban Tree Salvage, Relative Space, Mio, and Brothers Dressler, who custom-made furniture out of rescued materials and using eco-friendly manufacturing techniques. As if a swanky, organic room filled with celebrities and Cadbury chocolate was not enough entertainment, interactive stations were provided by Smashbox Cosmetics, Greg May Hair Architects and others.
Major media sponsors eTalk, Inside Entertainment, and VitaminT.ca were thrilled to have exclusive access to the celebrities, who were in turn delighted to receive a plethora of unique, high-end gifts from Canadian retailers. Companies lucky enough to have been invited to participate will see glamorous, world-famous celebs touting their products across the pages of magazines by next week. Among those products were Adria Vasil’s popular book, EcoHolic, Dermaglow skincare products, Domo Tea, Joe Fresh Kids Organic clothing, and Otazu Jewelry. It is the fine work of Debra Goldblatt that during one of the most important cultural events in the country, the World Wildlife Fund-Canada could garner attention and resources for one of the most important issues of our time.
Published BizBash.T.O., September 21 2007
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