Dior Hosts Dinner at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden to Celebrate J’adore

As Seen by Jean-Michel Othoniel

Guests included Charlize Theron, Rachel Brosnahan, Stephanie Hsu and other friends of the French house.

Dior is going for the gold. On Thursday night, the French house hosted a golden-hour cocktail and dinner at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens to celebrate J’adore as seen by Jean-Michel Othoniel. The exhibition, supported by Dior, pays homage to flowers, rendered by the artist in reflective glass and metallic sculptures situated throughout the garden.

“It’s magnificent, isn’t it?” said president of Parfums Christian Dior Véronique Courtois, taking in several of the works visible from the step-and-repeat. “We are celebrating art [tonight] — art with these beautiful sculptures, and art with the masterpiece of the composition of Francis.”

Charlize Theron, a longtime face of J’adore, was on hand to mark the occasion.

“The collaboration between Dior and what’s happening in this garden today to me is really why I love working at Dior — this idea of constantly being curious and finding people who celebrate the same ideas and philosophies,” said Theron, who was cooly clad in a navy sweater despite the sweltering heat. “It feels so on brand with Dior to do something like this.”

Theron has amassed a collection of Dior memories throughout the years, but noted that the most resonant memory connected to J’adore goes back to her earliest days working with the brand. “The first thing I can think of is doing the first campaign. It was the first time I held a bottle of J’adore, and I remember it very vividly,” she said. “I remember the stage I was at. Nick Knight shot it, and it was the first time I had to cradle the bottle. So I think for me that memory will always be alive.”

Awkwafina flashed a peace sign as she passed the step-and-repeat leading into cocktail hour, held outside at the garden’s Lily Pool Terrace. Lucy Hale greeted Rachel Brosnahan with a hug before snapping a photo of Brosnahan and Lana Condor. Other guests included “The Summer I Turned Pretty” stars Christopher Briney and Sean Kaufman; Alexandra Daddario; Maye Musk; Stephanie Hsu; Leyna Bloom; Meghann Fahy; Sophia Lillis, and Wyatt Oleff.

The evening also marked the debut of a new scent, L’Or de J’adore. A special limited edition of the bottle is available nestled atop a miniature gold Othoniel sculpture.

“The idea was trying to find the essence of gold. Flowers are the true gold of Dior and J’adore, so there is a dialogue between Jean-Michel on one side and my work on the other side,” said perfumer Francis Kurkdjian, standing poolside by one of the artist’s lotus sculptures.

As the sun set, the crowd made their way into the Palm House for a seated dinner. Mickalene Thomas, another Dior collaborator, introduced herself to Theron before taking her seat across from the actress. Gallerist Emmanuel Perrotin, who represents Othoniel, was busy taking a video of the tablescape, which the artist custom designed for the evening.

“Everything is spectacular. Dior is a house that I have a lot of friendship with,” said Perrotin as he stopped by the special edition of L’Or de J’adore on display in the room. “The small edition is really great — and I’ll tell you, the scent of the tables is so nice.”

The tables were scented by several fountains, filled with J’adore and topped with a miniature version of Othoniel’s flower sculptures. “I love the balls,” marveled Thomas Doherty, taking in the round glass lights situated atop a “runner” of golden bricks stretching down the tables.

At the start of dinner, Othoniel, whose next exhibition opens in late October at Perrotin’s Lower East Side location, shared more of his dinner inspiration for the evening. “Because we need beauty to survive reality, I’m happy to offer you tonight not yellow, but golden brick roads,” he said.

Thomas DohertyLEXIE MORELAND/WWD

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