The actress was on hand for the store's lighting ceremony on Monday night, along with guests including Maya Hawke, Caleb McLaughlin, Ashley Park and more.
“Who’s ready?” Saks Fifth Avenue chief executive officer Marc Metrick was standing behind a podium on Fifth Avenue on Monday night, facing a VIP crowd eager to witness the debut of Saks’ 2023 holiday display in collaboration with Dior. The block in front of Saks had been temporarily cleared out for the occasion, and the sound of distant New York traffic would soon be drowned out by a holiday soundtrack.
“For decades we’ve presented our holiday windows and lightshow as a gift to New York City, and this year’s gift is more spectatulor than ever before,” added Metrick, before welcoming Dior CEO Delphine Arnault and house ambassador Jennifer Lawrence up to introduce Dior’s “Carousel of Dreams.”
“It is a dream come true to be here, with you, in the middle of Fifth Avenue to celebrate this stunning celebration,” Arnault told the crowd, huddled underneath blue blankets. “This unique takeover is a wonderful tribute to the dreams and magic of the holiday season.”
“I’ve had the honor of being part of the Dior family for quite some time now, and looking around this feels like the perfect place to celebrate the holidays,” added Lawrence, before turning to Metrick to collectively offer the official cue: “Let’s light up the night!”
The lighting celebration kicked off with an outdoor performance by Martha Graham dancers, in costumes designed by Maria Grazia Chiuri (who watched from the stadium-style seating, next to Tracee Ellis Ross and Mickalene Thomas). The evening, which had kicked off earlier with cocktails in the Vault at Saks Fifth Avenue, continued afterward with a celebration at L’Avenue at Saks.
“Initial reactions to the windows — if I’m being completely honest — it was the first moment I’ve ever felt in my life as though I’m living in a real-life Disney movie,” said Nina Dobrev, who spent the past weekend at the Formula 1 race in Las Vegas with McLaren and had recently gotten back to New York in time for the window unveiling. “It felt very magical. It’s the first moment of Christmas I’ve felt this season,” she added.
Nina Dobrev DOLLY FAIBYSHEV/WWD
“I was in awe,” said “Stranger Things” star and Dior beauty ambassador Caleb McLaughlin. “The creative direction was amazing, the colors, the gathering of the people, the dancing, the fireworks — the placement of everything was done very well,” he adds. “I’ve never experienced the New York City holiday vibe.”
McLaughlin noted that he’s looking forward to spending the holidays with family. “As I’ve gotten older the holidays have become, I wouldn’t say less exciting, but when you’re younger you’re like, ‘Santa’s coming!’ I think it’s more about family for me now,” he said. “We’re able to come together and share our love.” And after the holidays, with the writer and SAG strikes over, it’s back to set. “What’s exciting is I get to go through the holidays, and then starting next year I’ll get back to work,” he added.
Other guests on hand for the festivities included Maya Hawke, Lola Tung, Rachel Zegler, Ashley Park, Leyna Bloom and Eli Brown.
“I love being in New York and watching things get lit up,” said Alexandra Daddario, noting that she is also looking forward to spending the season with loved ones. “I’m a big fan of tradition, and I think that the tradition of seeing family. and what you eat and what you drink, and how you dress is a really fun thing,” she added. “You get to play around with your outfits and your makeup and you’re going to lots of parties — it’s a really special time.”
