Inside the Atelier: The Making of Natalie Portman’s Intricate Golden Globes Gown

There was plenty of eye-catching red-carpet style at the 2024 Golden Globes. From Hunter Schafer’s ethereal Prada look to Oprah Winfrey’s regal custom Louis Vuitton, fashion lovers were spoilt for choice.

One outfit, however, stood out among the crowd at the Beverly Hilton on Sunday night: Natalie Portman’s deceptively simple Dior Couture ball gown, embroidered all over with a magnificent Impressionist landscape of micro-flowers and vermicelli, with fine needlework by the Chanakya School of Craft in Mumbai.

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natalie portman

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Portman, who was nominated for her role in May December (the award ultimately went to Emma Stone), dazzled in the structured floor-skimming gown, which she accessorized with diamond drop De Beers earrings and Jimmy Choo shoes. She let her dress do the talking, with her hair in a simple, slicked-back ponytail and a nude lip.

the intricate dress was inspired by impressionist paintings

Courtesy of Dior/Sophie Carre

The intricate dress was inspired by Impressionist paintings.

dior dress

Courtesy of Dior/Sophie Carre

preview for Natalie Portman in Dior Couture at the 2024 Golden Globes

“My dress was hand-beaded and took hundreds of hours of work, so I’m really lucky to get to wear this—it’s like a garden on a dress,” Portman told WWD at the show. The Academy Award winner has been a brand ambassador for Dior since 2011, when she became the face of fragrance Miss Dior Chérie. Since then, she has starred in several campaigns for the brand and regularly wears Dior gowns and dresses for red carpet appearances.

a sketch of portman’s exquisite dior dress

Courtesy of Dior/Sophie Carre

A sketch of Portman’s exquisite dress

the magnificent beading on the dress was the result of

Courtesy of Dior/Chanakya School of Craft

The magnificent beading on the dress was the result of “hundreds of hours” of work, Portman noted.

She wasn’t the only star at the 81st Golden Globes wearing a custom look by Dior. Jennifer Lawrence also took to the red carpet in an elegant midnight-blue velvet gown by the French fashion house.

For more, see our roundup of the best-dressed attendees at this year’s Golden Globes, and for every single look, head this way.

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Clara Strunck is Harper’s Bazaar UK’s digital features editor and oversees content spanning culture, lifestyle, opinion and big-name interviews. She has written for national newspapers including The Sunday Times, The Evening Standard and The Daily Mail, as well as glossy magazines from Tatler to Glamour, and other brands in the Hearst portfolio. Clara’s favourite stories are the ones you’d discuss with your friends, that get to the heart of what modern women are thinking and feeling.

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