Designer Monique Lhuillier Talks Celebrity Weddings, Red Carpets and More in New Book

Monique Lhuillier has been integral to many of Reese Witherspoon’s life milestones, collaborating with the entertainment powerhouse on dresses for everything from red-carpet moments to her 2011 wedding to Jim Toth. So when it came time to put the finishing touches on “Monique Lhuillier: Dreaming of Fashion and Glamour” (Rizzoli), the L.A.-based designer’s new tome celebrating her brand’s 25th anniversary, Lhuillier asked Witherspoon to write the foreword.

“She symbolizes everything I admire in strong, powerful women who build their dreams and inspire others,” says the designer, who teared up on reading Witherspoon’s heartfelt ode to her and her fashion empire, which began with the launch of her eponymous bridal line in 1996.

More from Variety

• Britney Spears Slams Family for 'Hurting Me Deeper Than You'll Ever Know'

• Britney Spears' Father Switches Legal Team With Conservatorship Termination on Horizon

• 'Controlling Britney Spears' Sells Wide For Red Arrow International - Global Bulletin

Witherspoon’s appreciation is widely shared by women in Hollywood who have donned Lhuillier’s romantic, feminine creations for special occasions. Early fans include Angelina Jolie, who wore a black strapless number to the 2002 Golden Globes, and Britney Spears, who opted for a Lhuillier gown when she tied the knot with Kevin Federline in 2004.

Other standout moments, Lhuillier says, include Phoebe Waller-Bridge in a plunging dress punctuated with a sequined waist when she nabbed three awards at the 2019 Emmys. “It was so perfect, the way it fit Phoebe, and she was radiant,” Lhuillier says. She also cites Michelle Obama donning her designs on multiple occasions and also the 2019 Golden Globes, when eight women, Emmy Rossum and Jameela Jamil among them, stepped out in her creations. “I also love working and collaborating with Taylor Swift,” says the designer, citing a red-and-pink bateau-neck “modern-day Grace Kelly” look from her 2015 resort collection that the pop icon wore to the 2014 premiere of “The Giver.”

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.