Walking through the grandiose halls of the Palace of Versailles to the dulcet sounds of 'Love On The Brain', Rihanna is resplendent in gold. The multi-award-winning soloist glides past aureate chandeliers and mirrors in a glittering, embroidered gown and the reinvented beaded necklace created by Maria Grazia Chiuri, before whispering the six-letter word that has come to define the couturier-perfumer, 'J'adore'.
After two decades, Rihanna is now Dior's latest muse and the new face of J'adore, which has been captured in a new campaign set in the gleaming Mirror Of Halls in Versailles. Shot by the legendary photographer and her long-time friend, Steven Klein, the video shines a golden light on the latest iteration of the famed fragrance, J'adore L'Or.
'I always enjoy working with Steven. Even with all he’s accomplished, he still has such a genuine, pure, child-like passion for his art,' Rihanna tells ELLE UK of her collaboration with Klein and filming the new campaign. 'It’s such a joy to work with artists like him! And full circle to be back at Versailles for Dior with Steven Klein! Dream team baby!.'
Read Next
FIND OUT MORE ON ELLE COLLECTIVE
Returning to the prized landmark and the same fabled walls where Rihanna shot the brand's 'Secret Garden IV' campaign back in 2015, Versailles has long held distinguished ties with the fashion house. An emblem of French tradition and opulent luxury, Christian Dior first laid eyes on the glittering Versailles in the 1940s, showcasing his progressive designs at the storied palace during the New Look era, a time of significant sartorial revolution.
The new J'Adore campaign captures both the timeless appeal of a bottle that has stood the test of time and a fresh energy as the fashion house enters a new era. With her trailblazing style and inimitable energy, Rihanna is the perfect embodiment to reflect this, but the singer has also long had an affinity with the J'Adore flacon. 'I have always loved this perfume. My mother worked in a perfume shop and she used to bring home the testers when they were almost empty. There was always a bottle of J'Adore in the house,' Rihanna tells ELLE UK.
Much like music and melody, Rihanna is drawn to the sensorial power of perfume. 'Personally, I feel that perfume has so much power! It can give you self-confidence, awaken memories, and transport you to a different place,' she explains.
The latest iteration of Dior's famed fragrance, J'adore L'Or is the work of acclaimed nose and the Director of Dior Fragrance Creation, Francis Kurkdjian, who has blended the quintessential essence of J'Adore with a new floral bouquet, combining notes of orange blossom, jasmine grandiflorum and centifolia rose absolutes.
'I have in a way forced the outline of the flowers to define a new texture, like a fluid and enveloping gold; a new sensuality. Flowers are the true gold of J’adore,' Kurkdjian shares.
The perfume is timeless yet progressive; nostalgic and new; soft but still powerful. As Rihanna puts it: 'J'adore makes women feel that they can become who they really want to be deep down inside. It’s magical!'
ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE.
Amelia Bell is the Multiplatform Beauty Director for ELLE UK and Harper’s Bazaar, developing beauty strategy, writing, editing, and commissioning, and leading beauty content across both sites. Amelia has a particular interest in wellness and longevity, exploring the skin-mind connection, and decoding the latest treatments, tweakments and runway trends. She also has bylines for Women's Health, Refinery29, British Vogue, Harrods Magazine, and more.
