Belgium-based photographer Acielle—known for capturing all manner of hyper-visible fashion events, from the Met Gala to major shows—was on hand Thursday for the Prelude to the 2024 Olympics, a special cocktail at the Frank Gehry-designed Fondation Louis Vuitton, in Paris’s 16th arrondissement, ahead of Friday’s opening ceremony.
The bash, hosted by LVMH chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault, Comcast NBCUniversal chairman and CEO Brian Roberts, Grammy-winner and Louis Vuitton men’s designer Pharrell Williams, and Vogue’s Anna Wintour, perfectly married the worlds of fashion and sport. Co-hosts for the evening, meanwhile, included Charlize Theron, Serena Williams, Rosalía, and Omar Sy.
With a guest list including Zendaya, LeBron James, Novak Djokovic, Naomi Osaka, Aly Raisman, Pierpaolo Piccioli, Emma Chamberlain, Emily Adams Bode, and Natalia Vodianova, it was certainly a star-studded affair. To get everyone into the mood of the Olympics, the event was fittingly themed after a game night—with celebrities trying their luck at claw machines, showing off their talents at a giant foosball table, taking aim at archery targets designed by Kaws, and honing their jump shots with Tiffany blue basketballs.
Below, take a virtual tour through Acielle’s images of the grand soirée—a.k.a. the next best thing to being there in person.
1 / 55
2 / 55
3 / 55
4 / 55
5 / 55
6 / 55
7 / 55
8 / 55
9 / 55
10 / 55
11 / 55
12 / 55
13 / 55
14 / 55
15 / 55
16 / 55
17 / 55
18 / 55
19 / 55
20 / 55
21 / 55
22 / 55
23 / 55
24 / 55
25 / 55
26 / 55
27 / 55
28 / 55
29 / 55
30 / 55
31 / 55
32 / 55
33 / 55
34 / 55
35 / 55
36 / 55
37 / 55
38 / 55
39 / 55
40 / 55
41 / 55
42 / 55
43 / 55
44 / 55
45 / 55
46 / 55
47 / 55
48 / 55
49 / 55
50 / 55
51 / 55
52 / 55
53 / 55
54 / 55
