Charlize Theron, Greta Lee, and Jennifer Lawrence Joined Jonathan Anderson for Dior’s Debut in Beverly Hills
“It s my first road trip with Dior,” Jonathan Anderson told Vogue as he touched down on Rodeo Drive. On a balmy Tuesday evening in Beverly Hills, the Irishman was in town to join Delphine Arnault, chairman and CEO of Christian Dior Couture, to fete the newly-opened flagship.
A suitably chic crowd had turned out in force to celebrate his West Coast arrival. At 7 p.m., friends of the house and Anderson’s muses alike decamped to the boutique alongside Hollywood’s finest, with Charlize Theron, Jennifer Lawrence, Greta Lee, Tessa Thompson, Mikey Madison, Taylor Russell, Lakeith Stanfield, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, and K-pop star Ejae, joining the designer for a cocktail reception and intimate dinner.
Attendees were effortlessly elegant. Theron descended on the party in a black tuxedo teamed with a bra and stilettos. Lee opted for denim and a pussy bow blouse, while Russell and the Jenner sisters each arrived in their own take on the perennial little black dress. Stanfield made a compelling case for double denim with a tie. Anderson, meanwhile, stayed loyal to his off-duty uniform: jeans, a Dior button-down, and a cable knit sweater.
Taking in the grandeur of the Peter Marino-designed four-story maison, which officially opened in late September and honors Dior’s deep connection to Hollywood, Anderson was in awe. “Christian Dior did a show here a long, long time ago,” he noted. “There s something about the moment after the war with Dior, where you also had Hollywood in its golden era; the pinnacle. Dior interacted with Hollywood in a very French way. I think it will be interesting to explore that in the future.”
The symbiosis between fashion and film runs through Anderson’s own work too—he has already collaborated with director Luca Guadagnino on costumes for Challengers, Queer, and the upcoming Artificial. “I love being in LA,” he mused. “Because it feels like I’m on set in a film. It’s like an escape for me.”
On this particular evening, said escape took the form of an intimate gathering on the fourth floor VIP salon, accessible only by a private elevator. Guests mingled on the terrace for Champagne, served in the house s signature cannage crystal flutes. The party eventually moved into the dining room, where long tables were laden with Dior’s Toile de Jouy china. The menu—caviar accompanied by egg yolk jam and buckwheat madeleines, followed by dry-aged tuna tartare, then violette de mer with beurre blanc and uni béarnaise—was designed by three-star Michelin chef Dominique Crenn, who helms Monsieur Dior on the building’s third floor—the first Dior restaurant outside of Paris.
Taking his seat between Theron and Lee, Anderson addressed the room. “I know it’s just the beginning for me at Dior, and it’s so nice to be at this beautiful store that we’ve just opened,” he said. “We’ve got lots to do—and we are working 24 hours a day to take Dior in a new direction—but you’re all part of it, so thank you very much for supporting us.” “You’re welcome,” Theron responded enthusiastically, toasting the designer. Smiling, Anderson continued: “We like to have fun….and we’re gonna do lots of good dinners.”
Anderson, renowned for his appreciation of craft and detail, took a moment to study the elaborate tablescape. When asked about his philosophy for the perfect dinner party, he ruminated. “The seats at the table have to be close enough. If it’s too wide apart, it’s never good, because you have to be able to talk across the table.” He paused, surveying the floral arrangements. “You also need good alcohol and good flowers. These flowers should be a little higher, but we’ll get there.”
“I would love my parents to be here to see what they would think,” he added, sentimentally. “They would probably think it was mad. My dad would be talking to everyone. I think he would have a crush on Charlize.”
As the evening wound down and guests lingered over a dessert of citrus pannacotta, it was clear that while this might be his first road trip, Anderson is ready to strap in for one hell of a ride.
Jojo Korsh/BFA.com1/15Kendall Jenner, Kylie Jenner
Jojo Korsh/BFA.com2/15Lauren Sánchez, Delphine Arnault, Evan Spiegel
