A legion of celebrity women will breathe a sigh of relief that the actress Gwyneth Paltrow will not be gracing the red carpet at the Oscars next February.
"I'm not allowed to go," she says, during a recent visit to the UAE. "I'm not kidding; my stylist says she's out of ideas and I need to go into a cave for three years."
Though you might struggle to remember who won what at the ceremony earlier this year, few could forget the glacial Tom Ford ensemble she wore that night. She stole all the headlines and upstaged her peers in characteristically low-key Paltrow style.
The mother-of-two made her first trip to Dubai this month as the ambassador of the new Boss fragrance Nuit Pour Femme and managed to squeeze in some sightseeing while in town.
"I was able to go to the top of the Burj Khalifa, which was amazing," she says. "We got to go up to the chairman's suite, which is not open to the public, and although it was wonderful I couldn't make it onto the balcony. [It was so high] I felt a bit sick."
Paltrow is currently focused on launching a new cookbook and further developing her lifestyle website Goop.com. "I really love the city guides and the apps for iPhones and iPads," she says. "I use them all the time because whenever I travel, I find myself thinking - gosh, where shall I go and eat, visit etc? We have a Los Angeles app coming out this week and I love doing all the research."
Having visited the capital three times before, Paltrow is au fait with the Emirates and its residents. "The fans in the UAE are truly incredible and I am so grateful for the warm welcome and hospitality that I have received here," she says.
"I think the fragrance will do really well here as it represents the strength and beauty of a woman - that wonderful balance between being powerful and feminine.
"To me, that's what Middle Eastern women represent. There seems to be a wonderful awareness of fashion and beauty, mixed with values and the power of femininity. Everybody looks beautiful and seems to pay incredible attention to their appearance, their outfits and clothes. It's amazing; it's like a catwalk outside."
