If you're part of Generation X, you know Kelly Rutherford as Megan Lewis on Melrose Place. If you're a Millennial, the statuesque blonde will forever be Serena Van Der Woodsen's flighty, but fabulous, mother, Lily Van Der Woodsen, on Gossip Girl. And, if you're a dedicated follower of fashion, you'll recognise Rutherford as fashion's current favourite selfie-taking, front row star.
The Kentucky-born actor has been sharing photos of her outfits on social media for years, but her recent apartment building lift selfie series has nothing short of set the style-intrigued internet alight. Mixing her penchant for 'quiet luxury' designer staples with boho details and up and coming designers, the mother-of-two's sense of personal style has resulted in her being invited to sit FROW (next to Kylie Jenner, of course) at one of couture's hottest tickets - the Simone Rocha x Jean Paul Gaultier show.
Now, at her third fashion week (and city) in as many weeks, we got ready with Rutherford ahead of Dior's AW24 show to learn the secrets behind her personal style...
Talk me through your Dior show outfit. How did you decide what to wear?
'I'm choosing, actually, between two because there are too many beautiful things and it's really hard to decide, to be honest. One [look] is a cream colour, and the other one is a black and white knit. I wore a cream set for the last show, so I don't know if it's too similar, but I'm really drawn to that [tone].
'I'm thinking about what is representing the brand for me, what really says Dior, and what is something beautiful that I'm comfortable in?'
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What does Dior mean to you?
'It's the quality of the design and the fabrics - it's so beautifully made.
'When I think of Dior, I think: classic, beautiful, elegant.'
What is it like sitting FROW at Dior and?
'It's so exciting. It's just such a magical experience to be there and see the collection for the first time and really appreciate the beauty of it.
'[Post Covid] We all have a much deeper appreciation of beauty and, and all being together to share these experiences.'
Talk me through your glam - what are your beauty essentials?
'I just recently started working with a glam team, which is quite obvious, so I go very natural. I've done [my own glam] for so many years, so I feel very blessed to be working with Dior's beauty team and their products.
'Usually, the hair goes up and [I put on] some eyeshadow and my daughter's like: "Mum, how long have you been using the same eyeliner?" So, she goes to Sephora and stocks up for me.'
Do you offer any style advice to your daughter?
'Oh my gosh, it's the opposite. She's telling me what's cool. Now I send her [pictures] asking, "what do you think? which outfit?"
'I value her opinion a lot because she's super honest and she's so right about things! She has her own sense of style, thankfully.
'If you want the truth ask a teenager, it's like "oh God, go easy, go easy."'
Who else do you look to for style inspiration?
'I think of my grandmother and my mother a lot because they both had beautiful style.
'My mother still has beautiful stuff and my grandmother was always really elegant, but still sexy and beautiful.
'I've always thought it's really her energy that made everything beautiful, and my mother has the same [quality] - I think it's maybe this "quiet luxury" that everyone's talking about.'
You've become a bit of a face of 'quiet luxury', but you always add an unexpected twist to your outfits.
'It's just fun to do a little twist on something. It's nice to mix it up a little bit and have a little bit of a wink when you're dressing - it's fun... that that's the whole point of it.'
Do you have any advice for people wanting to share their outfits on Instagram?
'Just start and have some fun with it.
'For me, it's about bringing awareness to certain brands, so I think if it's fun and has a purpose... it doesn't have to be perfect. [My photos] certainly aren't [perfect]. I just found an elevator and was like ok, the lighting is good in here, we'll do it in here.
'We're all figuring out this fashion and social media and ways in which to express ourselves, so just find what works for you and your schedule.'
What do your kids think of your outfit sharing?
'In the beginning my daughter was like, "Mum why are all the pictures in the elevator? You've got to mix it up. Do you want me to take some pictures of you?" I was like, "No, no, no, I don't want you to take your time to do something like that." She was just so cute.
'Now she admits the elevator was a good idea. Of course, they teased me a little bit, but they're my kids, they know me as mum. They see the TikToks, but they're very grounded - they just don't care that much.'
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