Dior PR director Mathilde Favier dies in car accident at 57

Dior PR director Mathilde Favier has passed away. The fashion house and celebrities paid tribute to her legacy and contribution to couture.

Fashion publicist Mathilde Favier, Dior Couture’s longtime public relations director, died aged 57 in a car crash in Airvault, western France, on Monday. Her husband, French film producer Nicolas Altmayer, 61, also died after their car collided with a truck while overtaking another vehicle. Dior confirmed their deaths on Tuesday.

Dior PR director Mathilde Favier was remembered by the fashion house and its leaders for her warmth, elegance and dedication. (Instagram)

Favier joined Dior in 2011 after working in fashion publishing and at Prada, becoming a key figure behind the house’s public image and a familiar presence at its shows and celebrity events.

Favier was one of the most recognisable figures behind Dior’s public image, regularly appearing at the brand’s fashion shows and welcoming celebrities and VIP guests, including several prominent K-pop stars. Her sister, Victoire de Castellane, has served as Dior’s jewellery creative director since 1998.

She was regarded as a fashion figure in her own right. She frequently dressed in Dior and shared glimpses of her lifestyle, including elaborate table settings and entertaining ideas, on social media. In 2024, she published Living Beautifully in Paris, a book centred on her approach to life.

Dior shared a series of statements from the brand’s heads on Instagram. Creative director Jonathan Anderson said, “I am heartbroken by Mathilde Favier’s passing. We all owe so much to her work and dedication. She brought such warmth, energy and was the most positive and uplifting person I have ever met. Mathilde was the very embodiment of elegance and in many ways, the spirit of Couture itself.”

The news of her death has sent shockwaves. Several celebrities commented on Dior’s post. Priyanka Chopra commented with a teary eyed emoji. Jennifer Aniston left broken heart emoji in the comments. Naomi Campbell wrote, “Many decades of friendship since 87 what a force of strength, joy for life @mathildefavier, my deepest condolences to her Children, family and loved ones .. and to the family of her partner too ..heartbreaking ..May you both Rest in Heavenly Peace. Sonam Kapoor also shared the news on her Instagram Stories and wrote “This is so shocking and heartbreaking. The most darling and kind person. @mathildefavier you will be so so so missed.” BLACKPINK’s Jisoo left a white dove emoji in the comments.