Paris Fashion Week is upon us as the final stretch of this season’s shows takes place, and the first big name on the schedule is, of course, Dior. The brand hosted a number of A-list guests on its front row this season, including Ava Phillippe, who wore a beautiful caped ensemble, which perfectly balanced edge with elegance.

We sat down with the starlet as she was getting ready for her big moment – and she opened up about how her relationship with fashion has changed over the years, her dramatic hair transformation and why she believes that inner beauty is so much more powerful than we think.

See what she had to say below, and catch up with more action from the spring/summer 2025 catwalks here.

Please talk us through your look – what drew you to this particular outfit?

“I am wearing this cape, which I think is such a timeless and elegant piece, and I wanted to pair it with something edgy and striking, so I have chosen these really cool buckle boots. I like to have that balance of the edgy and the elegant – it is really fun to play with. As people, we contain multitudes so I love putting these different things together, and this is reflected in the beauty look we did too. We have gone with glowy skin, a little touch of the Dior rouge blush and a pinky lip oil, and we’ve kept the hair really soft and feminine – it feels very Dior to have this balance.”

How do you decide which brands you want to work with?

“That’s a great question. I really value authenticity and the integrity of a partnership with a brand. I find that audiences are quite savvy these days and can easily tell when collaborations lack substance or are not a proper fit. So, I try to work with brands that I personally enjoy and whose overall creative vision I really align with.”

What makes Dior such a great fit for you and your personal style?

“I mean, as a fashion house, they are quintessentially elegant and feminine, and I think what really resonates with me is the respect that they show for the feminine with every piece in their collections. It has an air of reverence for the women that wear it, and I think that just really translates in everything they do – the respect they have for women. I feel much more confident wearing pieces that are designed with my femininity in mind.”

How involved do you tend to be with the styling process?

“I love being hands on with what I’m wearing. I believe that when you feel good, you look even better, so whether I’m working with a stylist or kind of freestyling it myself in the fitting room, I make sure that what I’m wearing helps me embody my best self.”

What kind of fashion makes you feel your most confident?

“Timelessness is something that I’m starting to think about more as I get older. I feel like it’s a very subjective thing, but I very much envision myself five years in the future and five years in the past, and whether I will still wear this, I will still like it. And if that’s the case, then I feel more confident with wearing it. I think trends are fun, but they do come and go where certain things are forever.”

How has your style evolved over the years?

“It’s changed so much – and it’s gone forwards and backwards and up and down and all around. The biggest evolution has been noticing attention to detail and then just the way I carry myself, the confidence of it. I’ve noticed how more subtle things, like texture and great tailoring, can really change a look. And the way I carry myself really impacts the way I come across. It goes back to, if you feel good, you will look good.”

What has been your most memorable fashion moment in recent years and why?

“I feel like the most memorable one, or the most like impactful moment, has been changing my hair to brunette. I’m naturally blonde, and I dyed my hair dark when I was at university, and everyone – even my own mother – did not recognise me. Honestly, it’s changed a lot of my fashion choices and it’s added a contrast to my look – it’s kind of given me a little bit more edge, if I dare say. It’s really brought the inside of me out. It’s just been fun.”

Whose style have you always admired and why?

“Zoe Kravitz – no matter what she wears, she always looks like herself, and she has this ability to make even the most simple minimalist look like really something extraordinary. So I think that’s a really cool quality she has and I think she really understands her body type too and everything that she chooses, fits and suits her perfectly.”

What is your ideal getting-ready set-up?

“Well, before the whole getting-ready process starts, I like to make sure that I eat a healthy and filling meal – I want to feel good about my nutrition and do all my skincare too, and then just maintaining a positive energy throughout the day is really important, beforehand and during. I like bantering a little bit, sharing jokes and listening to music – and oh my gosh, I have so many playlists. I actually post them on my Spotify so people can go look them up if they like. I stick to pop mostly when I am trying to keep the mood upbeat. I’ve been loving Sabrina Carpenter, as has the rest of the world.”

When do you feel most beautiful?

“I have two answers for this. The first would be more that I feel most beautiful when my outward appearance reflects my inner creativity. I take a lot of pride in finding unique and special ways to make my style stand out, even through the smallest things. I think that adding something that’s kind of an unexpected twist brings out my personality, and then the second is, I mean, it’s cheesy as it sounds, it’s when I’m upholding my values and being my best self for others. I think that beauty and style tricks go a long way, but showing your inner beauty and integrity and treating others with kindness and respect actually goes farther than we think.”

Fashion has a reputation for being frivolous, but why does what we wear matter?

“What we wear and how we wear it is a reflection of different parts of our personalities as individuals. I mean, we all wear clothes, but especially for those of us who prioritise fashion as a form of expression, the clothes we choose can really communicate a lot about our interests and our culture, where we come from, our creativity and even our politics. I’m honestly really fascinated by the things that people keep around for a long time, like the well-loved pieces that last decades and decades, and are handed down from moms to daughters. And you know, we’re living in a time where fast fashion and conversations about sustainability are everywhere, and they’re kind of competing against each other. As somebody who has the privilege of being able to choose where I buy my clothes and where they come from and what I wear, you know, I’m realising it’s more of a reflection of my personal values than I previously thought.”

Photography by Kyle Galvin; make-up by Dior Beauty.