It’s a record-breaking number at the Oscars. American set designer Derek McLane used over 100,000 Swarovski crystals to deliver yet another stunning stage for the 88th Academy Awards ceremony.
The stars were there. The sparkling jewelry pieces were there. And the stage of all stages was there, more effervescent than ever. McLane envisioned a golden proscenium arch with 18 panels featuring 37,000 Swarovski crystals.
The 20,000-pound structure framed the stage in front of a giant 80-foot x 40-foot crystal closedown wall with 149 black panels emblazoned with another 22,000 crystals. Dolby Theatre’s custom-made torchieres and opera boxes were also adorned with Swarovski’s effects.
“I was really influenced by 1970s glam in this year’s design, so the radiating crystals in the proscenium are definitely part of that,” Derek McLane told Associated Press.
“That was one of my favorite periods of American filmmaking. So many exciting movies were made then. And that sense of high glamor from that period really feels like a certain type of Hollywood that is sexy and glamorous and meets the fantasy of people who dream about what Hollywood is.”
McLane, who has already won several Tony and Emmy awards, has been taking care of Dolby Theatre’s main stage for four consecutive years. Swarovski has been participating in the Oscar night since 2007.
