How celebs find the perfect Oscars dress

LONDON - With female nominees ranging from the very pregnant to the very eccentric, the Oscars fashion could be more interesting than usual this year.

Style lovers are eager to see how Natalie Portman dresses her baby bump and whether Helena Bonham-Carter will wear matching shoes - unlike at the Golden Globes.

British stylist Becks Welch, who is dressing past Oscar winner Dame Helen Mirren for this year’s ceremony, reveals how she goes about finding the perfect gown for her A-list clients.

“The process is different for everybody. It depends who you are working with,” Sky News quoted her as saying.

“Some people want to have a lot of input and are quite specific about what they want, the colour and shape.

“Others leave it to you. They want to see a rack of dresses and be wowed,” she said.

Welch speculated that best supporting actress nominee Bonham-Carter would break her Vivienne Westwood habit at the Academy Awards.

“She’s probably due a bit of a break. I think she will probably wear something else to surprise everybody,” she said.

But the stylist, who has also previously worked with Oscars co-host Anne Hathaway, would not reveal any secrets about Mirren’s dress, only that it is likely to be the creation of a fellow Brit.

“Helen wanted to wear a British designer and being English, that was important to me too,” Welch said.

“So it was a natural thing to approach some of the bigger designers - Amanda Wakeley, Vivienne Westwood, Suzanne Neville and Catherine Walker, an institution when it comes to evening wear,” she said.

Welch said working with Mirren, who will present an award this year, is relatively easy because she has “a strong sense of herself”.

“She exudes confidence and sexiness in whatever she wears. It is quite a natural process for her,” the designer said.

“She goes for a great fit. She knows her body. She knows how to show it off but not too much. It’s usually about great fit and a classic shape,” she added. (ANI)