The co-founder of the company known for providing Grammy attendees with luxurious gift bags recently explained why they chose not to do so this year. Instead, they opted to do something special for wildfire victims.
Hollywood’s award season is known for its opulent gift bags filled with high-end items for A-list attendees, but this year, the Grammys took a more meaningful approach. Distinctive Assets, a well-known celebrity gifting company, decided to forgo its usual luxury giveaways in favor of helping those affected by the recent wildfires in California.
Distinctive Assets co-founder Lash Fary explained that rather than distributing their signature extravagant swag, the company curated care packages aimed at offering relief to wildfire survivors.
These thoughtfully assembled packages included skincare products, eyewear, and portable Bluetooth devices—items chosen to provide comfort and a sense of normalcy during a difficult time.Fary, who confirmed he was in a safe area unaffected by the wildfires but had friends who were impacted, recently sat down for a virtual interview with a Wish-TV news correspondent. During this segment, he spoke about his initial thoughts regarding turning what was already in the Grammy gift bags into products that could be used for care packages.
“There’s bound to be one or two items in here that would make good care packages, and as it turned out like, literally everything in here would make a great care package,” added Fary.
He continued, “So, we just kind of converted them and decided, ‘You know what, if everyone at the Grammys is gonna be having Frontera wine while they’re celebrating their win, so can we provide that to folks who might need to day drink with all that they’ve had going on.'”
Addressing potential critics of the contents inside the care packages, Fary stated, “No one who’s been through a disaster would ever have that reaction because for any of us who’ve experienced something tragic, really it’s about something that’s a distraction, it’s about something that makes you forget, even if for a moment.”
Lash also highlighted his company’s partnership with Bright Harbor—an organization that provides disaster recovery support. According to the founder, Bright Harbor is set to offer over $1 million worth of its disaster recovery services to victims throughout award season.
Regarding the effort it took to make the shift from lavishing celebrities with gift bags to creating care packages for wildfire victims, Lash disclosed, “It was remarkably easy and in fact, that’s sort of always been the through line for our gift bags […] even with what we give talent, all the items that are in these care packages are the same items we are going to be giving to Oscar nominees in a few weeks.”
While Distinctive Assets plans to return to its regular gifting practices at the Oscars, this temporary shift underscores the power of giving back. The initiative serves as a reminder that even small acts of kindness can have a profound impact on rebuilding lives after tragedy.
Fary didn’t just redefine celebrity product placement—he pioneered it. Known as the “Gift Guru” and the “Sultan of Swag,” he has mastered the art of pairing high-end brands with Hollywood’s biggest stars, turning promotional gifting into a sought-after marketing phenomenon.
He has worked with prestigious award shows such as the Grammy Awards, Latin Grammys, Tony Awards, American Music Awards, and BET Awards, among others.What began as an innovative idea has since become an industry standard, generating widespread media buzz and establishing luxury swag bags as a staple of award season.
With countless television appearances and media features, Fary has leveraged his expertise and influence to not only elevate brands but also champion meaningful causes. His ability to seamlessly blend luxury with strategic promotion has solidified his status as the ultimate tastemaker in celebrity gifting.While Fary’s decision to shift focus this year marked a departure from tradition, the contrast becomes even more apparent when looking at last year’s Grammy gift bags. In 2024, Distinctive Assets curated an extravagant $36,000 collection of high-end products for Grammy performers and presenters.