Ahead of the Cannes premiere of the hot new Baz Lurmann epic Elvis, Kaia Gerber gives us a taste of what it’s like to be fitted in Celine couture by the king of sultry minimalism. Here, the model and actress tells us about her sun-kissed glam, her red carpet must-haves, and her obsession with Hedi Slimane.
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KAIA GERBER: Hi.
INTERVIEW: Hi Kaia, how are you doing? How’s Cannes?
GERBER: It’s good. I just got in, so I kind of hit the ground running. It’s a beautiful place to be.
INTERVIEW: What was the first thing you did landed?
GERBER: The first thing I did was sit for Celine, I got to try on my dress for the premiere.
INTERVIEW: Fab. What was on the mood board for tonight’s look?
GERBER: We just wanted it to feel very classic, like an American girl in France. It’s understated, comfortable.
INTERVIEW: Can you tell me a bit about the dress?
GERBER: It’s a beautiful red dress that fits just perfectly. I think minimalism is the hardest thing to do because it has to fit so perfectly but I think that’s what Hedi is best at. I really trust them and they’re always open to ideas as well, we’re doing something different than I’ve ever worn which is so exciting.
INTERVIEW: What’s the vibe like in your dressing room?
GERBER: I am a music person, especially when I get off a 12-hour flight, I need it to keep the energy up. It’s always a stressful thing to try on a dress on the day you’re supposed to wear it, but they never seem stressed out about it. [Laughs] That just made me feel a bit better. Everyone was just like, yup, we can do it.
INTERVIEW: What were you listening to?
GERBER: I had a playlist on, there was some Unknown Mortal Orchestra.
INTERVIEW: Cute, can you tell me about your glam for this evening?
GERBER: This dress has a beautiful neckline so we wanted to put my hair up so everyone can see the wonderful work that they did on the dress, and then it’s just a sun-kissed, natural look, almost like I came straight from the pool to the premiere. Although there’s obviously a lot more effort that goes into that. [Laughs] But we wanted it to appear light.
INTERVIEW: Sounds chic. Who are you most excited to see at the premiere tonight?
GERBER: I think I’m just the most excited to see the movie because I’ve heard nothing but incredible things and it will be the first time that I’m watching it, and I mean, what an incredible way to see it for the first time.
INTERVIEW: Do you get nervous when you’re walking the red carpet?
GERBER: I think every red carpet is different, this feels very relaxed. There’s something about the south of France that reminds me of where I grew up in Malibu. It’s a beach town. I do the Met [Gala] which is something I get quite nervous for, but this, because I’m kind of just running straight into it, it just feels very relaxed. I might be the only one here who feels that way, but I don’t think I’m nervous, I think I’m just excited.
INTERVIEW: Do you have any other plans while you’re here?
GERBER: To be able to be in the South of France this time of year is just such a blessing, so I’m trying to enjoy the sun and beautiful water and see some people I haven’t seen in a long time.
INTERVIEW: Are there any must-haves for the evening? What’s in your purse?
GERBER: Definitely. I always bring a lipstick, YSL beauty, and I have this little tiny cute Celine purse that fits very few things so I have to edit down for the evening. I’ll bring my camera.
INTERVIEW: Oh cute. What kind of camera do you have?
GERBER: I have a little Contax T2 that I bring around with me. It definitely makes me seem like a better photographer than I am because the colors on film are so rich.
INTERVIEW: Fun! I have to ask you what you’re reading right now because I know you have good taste in books.
GERBER: I just finished this book called Abandon Me by Melissa Febos. I don’t know if you’ve read it but it ripped my heart out in the best way. I was definitely crying in public while I was reading it, but that’s a beautiful thing that books can do. I underlined half of the book, it talks about so many incredible things with the honest, poetic voice that she has. I just loved it so much.
INTERVIEW: Oh! I have to read it. Okay, last question: What’s the best time to arrive at the after party?
GERBER: I like to go to bed early, so the earlier the better, I don’t care about being fashionably late.
INTERVIEW: The earlier you leave, the earlier you can go home and read your book.
GERBER: You know what? The best time to arrive is after you’ve had fries and a burger.
