The fashion world beats a path to Dior

As much as we were anticipating the fruits of Raf Simons' first labours for his new home – Christian Dior – the front row arrivals in Paris alone had our eyes on stalks. It seemed that designers of every era had turned up to witness the latest evolution of the timeless French heritage brand take place.

As well as glamorous fixtures of high end fashion shows like LVMH heir Antoine Arnault and his supermodel partner Natalia Vodianova, stylist and it-girl Caroline Sieber, fashion editors Carine Roitfeld and Anna Dello Russo also arrived to take their places in the front row.

More unusually, designers too attended in their droves to witness history in the making: Marc Jacobs, Alber Elbaz, Kris Van Assche, Diane Von Furstenberg as well as Donatella Versace, who brought along her daughter Allegra, arrived at the venue. Red carpet designer L’Wren Scott appeared without her partner, Mick Jagger (last seen celebrating the nuptials of daughter Jade).

Representing the celebrity side were Princess Charlene of Monaco, French actress and Dior muse Marion Cotillard as well as Hollywood icons Sharon Stone, Charlotte Rampling (who has long lived in Paris and been devoted to the brand). Sixties fashion legend Pierre Cardin even put in an appearance at the highly anticipated event. Who wouldn't want to have been a fly on the wall in that gilded lobby?

Click through the gallery above to see the arrivals in all their glory.

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