Inside the atelier: the making of Celine Dion and Lady Gaga’s Olympic Opening Ceremony looks
Lady Gaga and Celine Dion were the two stars chosen to open and close the 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony in Paris, and they both did so wearing custom-made pieces from a quintessentially French fashion house: Dior.
Gaga was the event’s first act, with a performance that celebrated the spirit of French cabaret, staged at the tip of Ile Saint Louis in the middle of the Seine. She sang a rendition of Mon Truc en Plumes by the French dancer, singer and actress Zizi Jeanmaire. The cult hit, which translates as ‘My thing with feathers’, was conceived in 1961 by Roland Petit, a choreographer for whom Christian Dior designed ballet costumes – a relationship reflected and celebrated through Lady Gaga’s spectacular feathered outfit.
The look, which was designed by Maria Grazia Chiuri, featured a black satin bustier paired with panties crafted by the house of Cadolle, plus a cropped jacket and a voluminous feathered skirt in black and pink (the feathers for which were collected during the birds’ natural moult).
The ensemble was finished with black opera gloves and a matching feather headdress by Stephen Jones. The American star dramatically removed elements of the costume as she performed, and her final stripped-down look was accentuated by a ‘cul de Paris’, a feathered bustle-type garment synonymous with the art of music hall.
She was also joined by a troop of 10 dancers wearing Dior outfits inspired by Audrey Hepburn in the 1954 hit film Sabrina, carrying pompoms made by the famed cabaret theatre Lido de Paris.
“I feel so completely grateful to have been asked to open the Paris Olympics 2024 this year,” Gaga wrote on Instagram following her performance. “I am also humbled to be asked by the Olympics organising committee to sing such a special French song – a song to honour the French people and their tremendous history of art, music, and theatre.
“Although I am not a French artist, I have always felt a very special connection with French people and singing French music – I wanted nothing more than to create a performance that would warm the heart of France, celebrate French art and music, and on such a momentous occasion remind everyone of one of the most magical cities on earth: Paris.”
She continued to explain that she studied French choreography and “rehearsed tirelessly to study a joyful French dance, brushing up on some old skills”, revealing that she used to dance at a ’60s French party in the Lower East Side of New York when she was first starting out. “To everyone in France, thank you so much for welcoming me to your country to sing in honour of you – it’s a gift I’ll never forget,” she concluded.
If the ceremony started off in style it ended with a true spectacle, which saw Céline Dion performing Edith Piaf’s Hymne à l’Amour from the second floor of the Eiffel Tower, 125 metres above the ground. Her appearance marked her grand comeback to the stage and her first live performance since 2021, when she was forced to cancel her Las Vegas residency and world tour plans after being diagnosed with the rare condition stiff person syndrome.
The legendary singer also wore a Dior couture outfit for the occasion, specially designed for her by Maria Grazia Chiuri. The white silk georgette gown was fully embroidered with sequins and more than 500 metres of fringing, studded with thousands of silver beads which shimmered under the spotlight.
The dress was precisely made-to-measure for the star with meticulous attention to detail, requiring over a thousand hours of work.
Dion was joined at the piano by the composer and conductor Scott Price, who wore a black tuxedo by Kim Jones for Dior.
“I’m honoured to have performed tonight, for the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony, and so full of joy to be back in one of my very favourite cities,” Dion wrote on Instagram. “Most of all, I’m so happy to be celebrating these amazing athletes, with all their stories of sacrifice and determination, pain and perseverance. All of you have been so focused on your dream, and whether or not you take home a medal, I hope that being here means that it has come true for you.
“You should all be so proud, we know how hard you have worked to be the best of the best. Stay focused, keep going, my heart is with you.”
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