Two local business women will be pitching their products to the stars at this year’s Oscars.
Carin Baxter from Pitt Meadows was invited by a company called Celebrity Connected to showcase her new elasticated romper at the 91st annual Academy Awards Luxury Gifting Suites.
The event takes place one day before the awards show from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the W. Hollywood Hotel and around 150 to 200 celebrities and media are expected to attend the event.
Celebrity Connected contacted her for another business that Baxter owns, but she wanted to pitch something that was her own design. After a couple of teleconferences with the company, it was on board.
The design of the romper came to Baxter six months ago as she was looking at an overlapping pillowcase while making her son’s bed.
“I thought this would make more sense if it was elasticated. It just sort of came to me. I thought this would be great on a romper,” said Baxter, explaining that it eliminates the need for buttons or zippers.
So she purchased a sewing machine, and now being a seamstress, made a rough prototype to bring to a manufacturer.
Now she is manufacturing 100 in each style and selling them online. She has only recently been approached by stores interested in selling the rompers.
There will be 100 vendors at the event, 60 of them had to apply and 40 were chosen to attend.
Baxter, a self-described, celebrity buff, says she will be blown away by any celebrity she will get a chance to meet.
Her whole family will be with her, including her husband, three- and five-year-old sons, and her mother.
She is bringing 50 rompers with her to give away and will have made up special bags for celebrities she knows are coming through.
“I’ve heard that Susan Sarandon comes through. We’ve got one of the Real Housewives of [Orange County], Gretchen Rossi we’ve heard is coming through and she’s actually four months pregnant, so that would be a big deal,” said Baxter, adding that all of this year’s nominees are also invited.
She will have also have a game set up where celebrities can win a romper or donate a “Mamma Kit” to expecting mothers in Uganda, Africa in collaboration with the International Community Empowerment Foundation and The Tekera Resource Center.
Baxter watches the Oscars “every year, religiously.”
“I will be watching this year. We rented a house up in the Hollywood Hills and we are going to be watching them from there,” said Baxter.
“Just take it easy and soak it all in.”
She has watched some of the Oscar-nominated films, but is rooting for A Star Is Born, starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga.
She is also looking forward to checking out the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Hollywood Homes Tour and going to Disneyland.
They are leaving Feb. 21.
Maple Ridge resident Chelsea Smith will have a bikini from her swim line gifted to celebrities on Feb. 22.
Smith is the executive director of Sandy Swim, an online ladies swim wear boutique, and her Aisha bikini will be gifted to stars who are nominated for awards and celebrity attendees all staying at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills.
Her bikini will also be part of an exclusive segment in news outlets like CNN, EXTRA!, KTLA, KCAL9 and People Magazine that will be featuring the gift bag and its contents.
Company publicist Alixandra Kupcik approached the team putting the gift bags together to see if there was room for their product.
The full-time Sprott Shaw College student found out Feb. 4 that they would be included and had to source out gift boxes and gift certificates
“I still can’t believe this. I started this company in October of 2018 because I am a marketing student and no one was giving me experience,” said the 27-year-old.
“So for me to have grown this company to the equivalent for me to be going to this event, it’s surreal. I can’t even comprehend this yet,” said Smith.
Ten female celebrities will be receiving Smith’s bikini and another 25 will be receiving a gift certificate for one.
Smith already knows who will be getting her bikinis, but she had to sign a waiver which prevents her from saying who.
“But there is one person that I’m really hoping they happen to get pictures in Hawaii in my swimsuit,” laughed Smith.
The 91st annual Academy Awards takes place at 5 p.m. on Feb. 24.
