France, fashion, & feuds!

Shortly after World War II, designer Christian Dior launched his fashion house and introduced a new design referred to as the “New Look,” which led to a lot of discourse, protests, and criticisms. This early history of Dior’s work has inspired the Apple TV+ series The New Look, premiering on Wednesday, Feb. 14.

French fashion historian Caroline Bongrand, who worked as a consultant for The New Look, told Vanity Fair that it was really hard for anyone to find fabrics to make clothes in the immediate aftermath of World War II. “He managed to find fabric and made these opulent, incredibly elegant dresses to close this too-long episode of sadness for French women,” Bongrand explained. “He wanted to heal women and restore their lightness of being. Even for the women who were just looking at the dresses in magazines, he gave them joy and beauty.”

On the other hand, that optimistic ideal and new design weren’t well-received by many other people in the fashion industry, as well as high-profile feminists at the time. Namely, Coco Chanel — who had been successful in fashion long before him — threw shade at Dior quite a few times. While Chanel was creating beautiful and functional outfits for women, she commented that “Dior doesn’t dress women, he upholsters them.” And, as reported by The Washington Post, Chanel even dragged Dior’s sexuality into the discourse, saying: “Only a man who never was intimate with a woman could design something that uncomfortable.”

This timeline, and the high-profile individuals who were relevant within it, is the story told on Apple TV+’s The New Look. France, fashion, and feuds — we can’t wait!

Scroll through to meet the actors and the real-life people they’re playing on The New Look, which premieres Wednesday, Feb. 14 on Apple TV+.

Ben Mendelsohn as Christian Dior

Best known for his roles in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Animal Kingdom, and Ready Player One, actor Ben Mendelsohn will be bringing the protagonist of The New Look to life: Christian Dior himself.

Juliette Binoche as Coco Chanel

Dior’s nemesis and frequent critic at the time, Coco Chanel, will be played by Juliette Binoche — who you might recognize from her work in The English Patient, Ghost in the Shell, and The Staircase.

Maisie Williams as Catherine Dior

Even though we’ll always reminisce on Maisie Williams’ phenomenal performance as Arya Stark on Game of Thrones, the actress is playing Catherine Dior, Christian’s revolutionary sister, on The New Look.

John Malkovich as Lucien Lelong

The legendary John Malkovich (In the Line of Fire, Being John Malkovich, Places in the Heart) is starring as Lucien Lelong on The New Look. This very prominent French couturier retired from the business in 1948, which is aligned with the timeline explored on the show.

Thomas Poitevin as Pierre Balmain

Pierre Balmain, a designer who would eventually launch the fashion house Balmain, will also be featured on The New Look. He’ll be played by actor Thomas Poitevin, who’s still somewhat of a new face to Hollywood productions.

Nuno Lopes as Cristobal Balenciaga

Having starred in Saint George, Lines of Wellington, and White Lines, Nuno Lopes is bringing to life Cristóbal Balenciaga — a designer who eventually started the Balenciaga fashion brand.

Glenn Close as Carmel Snow

Hollywood icon Glenn Close (Fatal Attraction, Dangerous Liaisons, The Wife) is also starring in The New Look. The actress will play Carmel Snow, who worked as the editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar during the rise of Dior as a prominent fashion designer.

Eliott Margueron as Pierre Cardin

On The New Look, actor Eliott Margueron (Succulente, The Fear, Frantz) is playing Italian-French designer Pierre Cardin, founder of his eponymous fashion brand.

Emily Mortimer as Elsa Lombardi (a.k.a. Vera Nina Arkwright)

This Apple TV+ series will also feature actress Emily Mortimer bringing to life Eva Colozzi. As fashion historians have documented, Colozzi was a friend, style inspiration, and rival to Coco Channel.

Claes Bang as Hans Von Dincklage

German spy, Nazi propagandist, and lover to Coco Chanel, Hans Von Dincklage will be played on The New Look by Claes Bang. The actor has been previously seen in projects like The Square, The Northman, Bad Sisters, and The Affair.