After a years-long hiatus, Céline Dion made a triumphant return to the stage at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. The Canadian singer closed out the four-hour spectacular on the terrace of the Eiffel Tower after fellow powerhouse Lady Gaga kicked off the show on the banks of the Seine.
While the performers came as no real surprise to those tuned into the rumours, details of their outfits were kept under lock and key. Amidst the sea (or, in this case, river) of athletes dressed in their patriotic finest, Dion and Gaga had to ensure their looks would also stand out. Enter Dior.
Dion performed Édith Piaf’s “Hymne à l’Amour” in Dior Haute Couture, standing beneath the Olympic rings on the Eiffel Tower. For the occasion, she wore a white silk georgette floor-length dress dripping in shimmering beads and sequins, complete with a mock-neck and a sweeping train. The dress was made over 1,000 hours by members of the atelier.
For her earlier performance of “Mon Truc en Plumes”, Lady Gaga emerged from a crowd of pink ostrich-feather fans wearing a grand black ostrich feather coat. Channelling her inner Zizi Jeanmaire in Dior Haute Couture, she shed her outer layer to reveal a belted black bustier and panties over sheer tights, which she accessorised with full-length black gloves, patent leather pointy-toe heels, and a tall feathered headpiece. As she finished her song, she added an enormous bustle made of white feathers.
That the singers (in addition to French recording artist Aya Nakamura and opera singer Axelle Saint-Cirel) were decked out by a French fashion house at the Paris Games should come as no surprise. But those keeping tabs on Dion’s looks over the last few days may have noticed the chanteuse wearing a host of Dior looks on her trips about town. Earlier in the week, she wore a wide-legged suit with an exaggerated lapel from the brand, as well as a black pleated midi dress with an upturned collar. And last night, just ahead of the Games’ kickoff, she embraced the sporty spirit in a monogrammed anorak and track pants.
Between the scenic river cruise and the dynamic duo that is Céline Dion and Lady Gaga, France has gone for gold with this opening ceremony.
