Rihanna Is the New Queen That Dior Has Been Promising
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Rihanna is no stranger to Dior; when the House was helmed by Raf Simons, the Oceans 8 actress became the brand’s first Black celebrity ambassador. And now it’s clear what Dior was teasing back in June when it posted on its Instagram that J’adore would have a “new queen.”
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The superstar has been revealed as the new queen of the iconic fragrance, which was created in 1999 by perfumer Calice Becker and has become a sought-after scent. She replaces Charlize Theron, who has been the face for 20 years.
There’s something regal with gold tones surrounding this new campaign, shot by contemporary and fine art photographer Steven Klein, who’s also a friend of Dior. From Rihanna’s hair to her hazel eyes, her skin and the backdrop of Versailles, the campaign shots scream everything golden. As Dior puts it in notes, “It’s a metamorphosis and a coronation between a pop idol and a legendary perfume.”
The collar style necklace Rihanna is wearing is reinvented, explains the House in its notes, while the gold embroidered gown with pale sequins are both designed by Dior’s women’s creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri. For Rihanna, J’adore is a dream perfume that the singer has always loved, “as though she were destined for it,” explains Dior. The latest J’adore version, L’or with its solar and floral notes, was created by master perfumer Francis Kurkdjian — who has also been the perfume creation director since 2021.
Rihanna has frequently attended Dior shows and she made waves during the 2024 Haute Couture Week in January, when she made a comeback and sparked talk of her restarting something with the House. All of this news comes with the announcement this week that the currently struggling Victoria’s Secret hired Rihanna’s former Savage X Fenty lingerie line CEO Hillary Super. Super had helmed Savage X Fenty since June 2023 and will be Victoria’s Secret’s third CEO in four years.
Also last week, Dior launched its new fall 2024 makeup collection with shades of silver, gold, pink and blue. The line, by Peter Philips, celebrates Paris, particularly Rue de Faubourg Saint-Honoré to 30 Avenue Montaigne, two important streets for its namesake founder. A map of the city covers the cases of lipsticks, nail polish and palettes of key sites in Paris. The Dior Prestige La Micro-Huile De Rose activated serum also launched last week.
Between House of Dior’s Rihanna new launches, Rihanna partnership and the stunning gowns that Lady Gaga and Celine wore during the Olympics opening ceremony, 2024 is turning out to be a golden year for the brand, after 2023 saw €83.2 billion ($92.7 billion) in revenue and a rise in organic growth, according to Yahoo Finance.
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