Rihanna unveiled as the new face of Dior’s iconic J’Adore fragrance in stunning Versailles campaign

Rihanna graces the iconic Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles for the latest J’Adore campaign, which will launch on September 1st.

Captured by her close friend Steven Klein, the dazzling ad brings Rihanna back to the brand's luxurious origins while propelling J’Adore into a new era. The multifaceted singer, entrepreneur, and style icon has been named the face of the legendary women’s fragrance from LVMH-owned Parfums Christian Dior, 25 years after J’Adore’s debut.

“J’Adore makes a woman feel they can become who they really want to be, deep down inside,” Rihanna said. “It’s magical.”She described the J’Adore woman as being “beautiful, strong, sexy and resilient at the same time.”

Klein shared that creating this collaboration between Rihanna and J’Adore at Versailles was both inspiring and challenging. He reminisced about their previous work together on the “Secret Garden” campaign in 2015, but noted that this time the mood was more mysterious and night-inspired.

Rihanna’s history with Dior includes her appearance in the 2015 “Secret Garden IV” campaign shot at Versailles, and a 2016 collaboration on a sunglasses collection.

“With J’Adore, everything was focused on gold and light,” Klein explained. “I wanted to create a visual dialogue between the classical style of the 18th century and Rihanna’s incredibly contemporary beauty. This film invents a new universe that bridges several worlds and several eras, and manages to achieve a natural and radiant universal appeal.”

The campaign also features the Grand Canal at Versailles and a golden gown adorned with pale sequins, designed by Dior’s creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri. A reinterpretation of the golden necklace that inspired J’Adore’s bottle design is also highlighted.

“Rihanna has something remarkable that exceeds beauty and talent in truly extravagant fashion. Her aura is striking,” Klein said. “It is as though she comes from another world. Images of her glow, and literally embody something unique that has never been seen before.”

Rihanna expressed her joy in working with Klein, admiring his passion and creativity. “It’s such a joy to work with artists like him,” she said. “And full circle to be back at Versailles for Dior with Steven Klein — dream team baby.”

She further praised Dior, saying, “The house of Dior has always represented the highest level of elegance, craftsmanship and the regality of a woman. It’s always an honor to be a part of the brand’s history, and to now represent J’Adore is an even greater responsibility because of how important this fragrance is to Dior.”

Rihanna succeeds Charlize Theron, who had been the face of J’Adore for 20 years before becoming a jewelry and skincare ambassador for Dior. Rihanna’s involvement with J’Adore has already created significant buzz. In June, when her role was announced, mentions of “Rihanna” generated $210,700 in earned media value (EMV) for U.S. Dior Beauty, according to CreatorIQ.

Although it’s difficult to predict the full impact of a new campaign, CreatorIQ anticipates that the full J’Adore rollout, including Rihanna’s social media posts, could generate over $1 million in EMV.

J’Adore has been a major success for Dior since its launch in 1999. The fragrance was designed to be lighter and sweeter than Dior’s previous bestseller, Poison, with the goal of creating a new classic. The name J’Adore, meaning “I adore,” was a favorite expression of Christian Dior and later became associated with the house’s history under John Galliano.

J’Adore has remained a leader in the fragrance industry, continually reinventing itself with innovations like Parfum d’Eau, the first alcohol-free eau de parfum, and L’Or de J’Adore. Created initially by Calice Becker and reinterpreted by perfumers like François Demachy, J’Adore’s campaigns have been shot by renowned artists including Jean-Baptiste Mondino and Peter Lindbergh. The first ad campaign, featuring Carmen Kass, showcased the model wading through liquid gold.