Augustinus Bader and Melanie Griffith Spill Beauty Secrets at a Dinner in Hollywood to Celebrate the Brand’s First Pop-Up

Jaime King, Augustinus Bader, Melanie GriffithZack Whitford/BFA.com

On a crisp Southern Californian night, a beautiful group of creatives mingled at Michelin Star Chef Mina’s new restaurant, Mother Tongue, located at the HEIMAT. There were models with freshly blown-out hair, musical artists encased in silk, and even a beauty guru in sunglasses despite the event taking place well into the night. Melanie Griffith stood out through it all, beaming with beauty and charm. 

“Can we sit?” Griffith says, donning a black Valentino top with feathers at the cuffs. “I’ve been standing all day and these shoes are not the most comfortable.” Griffith, making herself cozy on one of the plush seats, had just come from celebrating her good friend and actress, Jamie Lee Curtis. Now, she’s playing hostess to celebrate Augustinus Bader’s first-ever pop-up shop at The Grove, alongside the brand’s CEO, Charles Rosier, and Bader himself. 

“I’ve really been with them since the very beginning,” she tells Vogue. “My daughter Dakota (Johnson) was filming in Italy, and the professor flew all the way over to let me try it. Since then, I have been hooked. I saw results less than a week later. It all works; trust me, it works. Won’t you look at me?” she says with a grin on her face. The pop-up opening features a makeshift storefront in the brand’s iconic electric blue colorway. Larger-than-life beauty bottles replace, say, outdoor topiaries. 

In a way, Griffith may be considered one of the brand’s godmothers. “I really just brought all of my friends on board, and that’s pretty much who’s here this evening.” At the dinner, Sara Sampaio was spotted sharing a laugh with Griffith while those around them enjoyed the fresh set of cucumber and pita set before them. In the near distance, model Victoria Jancke cracked jokes with Bader, and editors of all sorts caught up on their travel plans, memories, and lovers. 

As the evening’s delicate sea bass was set out, the eyes in the room made their way to the center stage placed before the dinner tables. In view, Rainey Qaulley stood like a roman statue. As her jazzy voice began to resonate throughout the lofty room, a sea of phones jolted up to record the moment. After all, who would pass up on immortalizing such a moment, let alone the evening? 

And, of course, dinner wasn’t complete without a few sweet treats. Lucky for guests, there were two sorts. The first was a beautiful array of French bonbons and delicate macarons. As guests began to call it a night, a gray Augustinus Bader goodie bag filled with magical skincare waited for each attendee to be whisked away—and they were with ease.