Kelly Saiz

My first memories of Marion Cotillard were watching her 2008 Oscar win in this mermaid-esque Jean Paul Gaultier couture gown.

I remember my eighth-grade self being not-so-sure about this dress, but having weathered a few more years, I admire the originality of this look.

Cotillard has a self-possession that makes her, not her clothes, the main event. The way she presents herself is quietly powerful and she is elegant in the most modern sense of the word. Here are a few of my favorite images of MC over the years:

Above: in L’Officiel Paris August 2009. Below: in Vogue.

MC in Dior’s 2009 ‘Lady Dior’ campaign, shot by Peter Lindbergh (above). Another Dior ad by Lindbergh, below:

M shot by Mikael Jansson in Interview Magazine August 2010 (above), and shot by Dominique Isserman (below).