Dior lands in LA with beachfront bash ahead of runway show

LOS ANGELES: Freida Pinto is loyal to Dior, a company that took a chance on her before she was famous.

During a beachside party hosted by the French fashion house Wednesday, Pinto recalled how Dior was one of the first brands to dress her while promoting her Academy Award-winning "Slumdog Millionaire" in 2008.

She was relatively unknown in Hollywood and had been turned down by other designers.

"(They were) accepting and welcoming. You just feel a sense of gratitude," said the star of Showtime's "Guerrilla."

Pinto was joined by fellow fashionistas Jaime King, in a belted, wide-sleeved gown, and Kiernan Shipka of "Mad Men."

Shipka said she was channeling one of her new favorite shows, Hulu's "The Handmaid's Tale," with her velvet cloak dress.

"What Maria Grazia Chiuri doing is just insane," said Shipka of Dior's creative director. "It has this backbone of just championing women and just really honoring them and creating beautiful stuff."

The relaxed, sunset soiree was a held on the eve of Dior's cruise collection show, presenting in the Los Angeles suburb of Calabasas.

"What I always expect from Dior is something that will be elegant, modern, chic, useful, timeless, pushing the bar forward," said King of Thursday's runway show. "It's great that people are now bringing high fashion, important fashion and these important designers to our city."