Don’t feel too bad for tonight’s losers while you’re watching the Oscars. If we’re measuring by the amount of swag they head home with, pretty much everyone’s a winner. Every nominee heads home with a few consolation prizes.
The swag bag from Hollywood’s biggest night lives up to its allure. Carefully selected by Lash Fary, the founder of Los Angeles-based marketing company Distinctive Assets, the bag include everything from beauty products and clothing to diet plans and tropical getaways. The gift bag is presented in large suitcase pieces and bestowed to all Academy Award nominees.
(MORE: The 8 Most Opulent Gifts in the Oscar Swag Bags)
While last year’s bag ran an upwards of $60,000, this year’s bag is about $10,000 less. But that’s an indistinguishable difference to the recipients, Fary says, as each year varies due to the amount and price of vacations. In recent years, Fary recalled the value jumped extravagantly to $98,000 because of a $45,000 African safari — but it required so much time and advance preparation that only Marisa Tomei took advantage. Fary estimates that a mere 10 percent of recipients redeem some of the more outrageous gifts like vacations due to scheduling conflicts.
Though the gift bag may have its own recession-friendly cuts, it still pays tribute to the glitz and glamor that comes with being a Hollywood A-lister. From Vampire facelifts to an Australian vacation, here’s nine of the most extravagant gifts in tonight’s nominee gift bag.
