Dior Names French Film Star Louis Garrel as Brand Ambassador

FRENCH TOUCH: Fresh off his walk down the red carpet on the opening night of the Cannes Film Festival, French actor and director Louis Garrel has been named a menswear brand ambassador for Dior.

Garrel stars opposite Léa Seydoux and Vincent Lindon in “The Second Act,” which screened out of competition at Cannes on Tuesday. Fittingly, he wore a midnight blue suit with Dior’s signature oblique-buttoned jacket designed by Kim Jones, artistic director of men’s collections.

“He perfectly embodies the French elegance. We are extremely excited to welcome him in the house,” Jones said in a statement. 

Garrel described the brand as “an absolute legend in the world of fashion.” The “Little Women” star is married to model and actress Laetitia Casta, a front row regular at Dior fashion shows.

“Combining originality and classicism, Dior has been able to successfully live through different epochs, making it indispensable,” he said.

A film fixture since his breakthrough performance in Bernardo Bertolucci’s “The Dreamers” in 2003, Garrel has won numerous awards, including best original screenplay for “The Innocent” at the 2023 César Awards, France’s equivalent of the Oscars. 

A box-office success, the crime comedy was his third directorial effort and garnered a total of 11 nominations at last year’s ceremony, with Garrel receiving a nod in both the Best Actor and Best Director categories. 

Garrel appeared as Jacques de Bascher, the decadent dandy who formed a love triangle with Karl Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent, in the 2014 film “Saint Laurent.” He is due to play French writer and aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry in Pablo Agüero’s upcoming “Saint-Ex,” costarring Diane Kruger and Vincent Cassel. 

Garrel joins a men’s roster at Dior that includes actor Robert Pattinson, K-pop star Jimin of boy band BTS, footballer Kilian Mbappé and Monaco businessman Pierre Casiraghi, the grandson of Grace Kelly.

Garrel has previously been the face of the Valentino Uomo fragrance and directed a Valentino Donna campaign. He also appeared in Giorgio Armani’s fall 2023 campaign, having previously featured in Emporio Armani’s fall 2004 ads alongside his “The Dreamers” costars Michael Pitt and Eva Green.