By Phebe Wahl By Phebe Wahl | February 14, 2024 | Lifestyle, Feature,
As the new Disney Princess and Dior global ambassador, Rachel Zegler wears her crown well, outfitted with an abundance of talent, beauty, intelligence—and a regally independent spirit.
Dior tank top, dior.com Makeup: Dior Forever Glow Veil, Dior Forever Skin Glow in No. 2N, Dior Forever Skin Correct in No. 1N, Rouge Blush in No. 314 Grand Bal, Diorshow Brow Styler in No. 004 auburn, Diorshow 5 Couleurs in No. 559 Poncho, Diorshow On Stage Crayon in No. 099 black, Diorshow Iconic Overcurl in No. 090 black, Rouge Dior Contour in No. 777 Fahrenheit and Rouge Dior in No. 777 Fahrenheit Velvet.
Her striking features make it easy to see why Rachel Zegler is amid a rapid rise to fame as the new reigning princess. Yet, behind all that beauty are brains and an unabashedly brilliant talent. After her breakout, Golden Globe-winning role playing Maria in Steven Spielberg’s musical adaptation of West Side Story, Zegler continues to dazzle, lighting up the screen most recently as Lucy Gray Baird in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. She is the fresh face of Disney’s iconic re-imagining of Snow White, and has recently joined the elite circle of Dior’s global ambassadors, marking a momentous chapter in her meteoric rise.
“It’s been amazing to work alongside Disney to breathe life into such an iconic fairy tale,” she says of the film slated to release soon. Zegler shares the film is packed with the quintessential beauty moments one would expect. “Of course, she’s an iconic Disney princess, and so a lot of those iconic beauty moments for her are still scattered throughout the film,” she says.
Dior dress with CD buttons and belt, dior.com. Makeup: Dior Forever Glow Veil, Dior Forever Skin Glow in No. 2N, Dior Forever Skin Correct in No. 1N, Rouge Blush in No. 028 Actrice, Diorshow Brow Styler in No. 004 auburn, Diorshow 5 Couleurs in No. 649 Nude Dress, Diorshow On Stage Crayon in No. 099 black, Diorshow Iconic Overcurl in No. 090 black, Rouge Dior Contour in No. 772 Classic Rosewood and Rouge Dior in No. 772 Classic Rosewood Velvet.
Beyond the Disney world, Zegler has made her mark in the aesthetic realm as a global ambassador for Dior. “It’s been so wonderful,” she says of joining the Dior family. The young actress talks fondly of her inclusion in Dior’s power circle, joining the ranks of Anya Taylor-Joy, Yara Shahidi and fellow newcomer Dilraba Dilmurat. “I never really imagined myself to be the face of a beauty campaign. It’s been very, very cool,” she says. “And everyone’s been so supportive.”
“There’s a sisterhood within the Dior family that is undeniable,” Zegler shares. “And it’s been really fun to go from seeing these incredible young women during Paris Fashion Week to suddenly working with them on a bustling set that can only be compared to a fashion and beauty factory with cameras. They capture the essence of Dior’s legacy with their personal balance of strength and elegance.”
Dior petite stud earrings, dior.com Makeup: Dior Forever Glow Veil, Dior Forever Skin Glow in No. 2N, Dior Forever Skin Correct in No. 1N, Rouge Blush in No. 028 Actrice, Diorshow Brow Styler in No. 004 auburn, Diorshow 5 Couleurs in No. 649 Nude Dress, Diorshow On Stage Crayon in No. 099 black, Diorshow Iconic Overcurl in No. 090 black, Rouge Dior Contour in No. 720 Icone and Rouge Dior in No. 720 Icone Satin.
At Dior, Zegler worked with creative and image director Peter Philips and serves as a face for the house’s Rouge Dior campaign. “I think he’s so wonderful,” says Zegler of Philips. “He’s one of those really unassuming legends that when you meet him, he’s just really humble and wonderful. He has so many amazing stories about the span of his career in this industry.”
Philips clearly rubbed off on the young talent. “I really love 720—but I am a sucker for a classic lip. My everyday is usually something more nude (like a good 221, or like a 539, which is like a little bit more red),” she says, rattling off her favorite lipstick shades like a seasoned pro. “I am a Dior Rouge Contour truther,” she says, laughing. “I believe in lip liner. I like an overline to fill in with whatever shade I want,” she says. “But I also think it’s whatever works for you. … It’s a wonderful form of self-expression.”
Dior 8 bomber jacket, bralette and petite stud earrings, dior.com. Makeup: Dior Forever Glow Veil, Dior Forever Skin Glow in No. 2N, Dior Forever Skin Correct in No. 1N, Rouge Blush in No. 314 Grand Bal, Diorshow Brow Styler in No. 004 auburn, Diorshow 5 Couleurs in No. 539 Grand Bal, Diorshow On Stage Crayon in No. 099 black, Diorshow Iconic Overcurl in No. 090 black, Rouge Dior Contour in No. 999 and Rouge Dior in No. 999 Satin.
“Makeup has always been a wonderful escape for me. It adds an element of fearlessness to the way I carry myself, whether on set, on a red carpet or on the streets of Manhattan,” Zegler explains, sharing that hair and makeup also help inform her character development. “It’s usually the last thing, the last piece of the puzzle, when you’re working on a movie or a TV show,” she says. “I know, in particular, for Lucy Gray, it was so integral to my characterization of her to feel myself in the costume, the wig and all of the makeup that it gave me that final touch into understanding who she was. So it’s so important, and it is just that final touch of transformation because you can do so much work on a character on paper between you and your director, but nothing compares to that final moment of stepping onto the set as your character and getting to embrace that for the first time.”
Dior top and skort with CD buckle, dior.com. Makeup: Dior Forever Glow Veil, Dior Forever Skin Glow in No. 2N, Dior Forever Skin Correct in No. 1N, Rouge Blush in No. 028 Actrice, Diorshow Brow Styler in No. 004 auburn, Diorshow 5 Couleurs in No. 649 Nude Dress, Diorshow On Stage Crayon in No. 099 black, Diorshow Iconic Overcurl in No. 090 black, Rouge Dior Contour in No. 720 Icone, Rouge Dior in No. 720 Icone Satin and Dior Vernis in No. 108 Muguet.
As for her next project, Zegler hints there are even more beauty and fashion moments to come. “There are some great fashion moments in it,” she says about her upcoming A24 ’90s nostalgia film, Y2K. “I think it’s gonna make everyone really nostalgic for when we used to wear butterfly clips in our hair,” she says. “We had the best time because it was the really frosty eye shadow and the really frosty lip gloss.”
In other words, stay tuned for more for your mood board.
Dior off-the-shoulder jacket, dior.com Makeup: Dior Forever Glow Veil, Dior Forever Skin Glow in No. 2N, Dior Forever Skin Correct in No. 1N, Rouge Blush in No. 314 Grand Bal, Diorshow Brow Styler in No. 004 auburn, Diorshow 5 Couleurs in No. 669 Soft Cashmere, Diorshow On Stage Crayon in No. 099 black, Diorshow Iconic Overcurl in No. 090 black, Rouge Dior Contour in No. 200 Nude Touch and Rouge Dior in No. 200 Nude Touch Velvet. Hair by Joseph Pujalte Makeup by Peter Philips Styled by Jack Borkett Manicure by Magali Buisson
Photography by: PHOTOGRAPHED BY DANIEL JACKSON