Imagine finding 'the one' and then having your dream wedding dress designed by a fashion icon. That's precisely what happened to musician Este Haim! But here's where it gets controversial... some might say focusing on the dress detracts from the true meaning of a wedding. What do you think?
Just last night, on New Year’s Eve, Este Haim (of the band Haim) celebrated her marriage to tech entrepreneur Jonathan “Johnny” Levin in a cozy, intimate ceremony in California. But rewind to November, and Vogue magazine was granted exclusive access to document the final fitting of her breathtaking Louis Vuitton wedding dress. The dress, a true masterpiece, was designed by none other than her friend, Nicolas Ghesquière, the Artistic Director of Louis Vuitton.
Our story begins in Paris, where we follow the Haim sisters – Este, Alana, and Danielle – as they make their way to the prestigious Louis Vuitton atelier. The occasion? Not only was Este putting the final touches on her ceremony, reception, and after-party looks, but Alana and Danielle were also having one last look at their stunning bridesmaids' dresses. Think of it as a crucial dress rehearsal before the big show!
"I’ve been looking forward to this day since I was five," Este confesses, revealing a lifelong dream. "When I was five, I had this vision of me, coming down a spiral staircase… There’s a scene in Cinderella that probably is what I was mimicking, but I would descend in this giant ballroom gown, and then my fiancé, [my] husband, would be at the bottom and grab my hand.” This charming anecdote really highlights how much this moment meant to her.
Stepping into the atelier, Este's excitement is palpable. "Can I live here?!” she jokes, immediately setting a light-hearted tone. The sisters are then presented with two gorgeous pale blue bridesmaid dresses displayed on mannequins. The reaction is immediate and full of excitement! Alana and Danielle can't resist posing beside their dresses, and the sisterly banter begins, a constant and endearing feature throughout the fitting.
"How do you know which is which?” Este playfully asks, highlighting the close bond and shared experiences of the sisters.
"It’s becoming real!” Alana exclaims, clearly caught up in the excitement. “We’re Este’s something blue.”
“And kind of my something borrowed,” Este adds, continuing the playful exchange.
“Because you’re going to borrow it afterwards?!” Alana teases.
Este then shares the story of Johnny's proposal, which took place a little over a year ago on December 22, 2024. It was a complete surprise! “I had Mario Badescu acne medication on, my hair was in a top knot, I had no makeup on, I was in sweats and sneakers, and we were on a hike,” she remembers vividly. Johnny proposed with a placeholder ring. “A beautiful ring still, but the second he was like, ‘Will you marry me?’ and I said yes, he also was like, ‘We need to design this ring, because this is not the final thing,’” Este explains. “I thought [that] was really, really sweet.” This detail reveals a thoughtful and collaborative approach to their relationship.
Back at the fitting, after giving her approval to her sisters’ dresses, Este disappears behind a curtain to change into the wedding dress. “1, 2, 3—wow!” everyone exclaims as she emerges. Este beams, "I’m going to get married in this dress!”
The Haim sisters have been loyal fans of Nicolas Ghesquière for years. “I think [ever] since we got our first Vogues as kids,” Este says. “Nicolas and Drew [Khuse, Ghesquière’s partner] were one of the first people to see my engagement ring.” While Este casually mentioned her dream of Nicolas designing her dress, she never truly expected him to take on the task. “A couple of weeks later, he said, ‘Okay, so about the dress—we need to go to lunch,’” Este recalls, still sounding surprised.
When they finally met for lunch – with Alana and Danielle in tow, naturally – Este came armed with a Pinterest board showcasing her favorite dresses, both past and present, designed by Nicolas throughout his illustrious career. "Then he just started sketching, like live sketching, in front of us," Este remembers, clearly still in awe. "Seeing the process of Nicolas designing in real time was one of the craziest experiences I think collectively of our existence. It’s almost like he crept into my dreams and looked at what I was sketching in my head, and was like, ‘Alright, I know what she wants.’” And this is the part most people miss... the collaboration between the artist and the muse!
“It was very easy. We had a very funny, nice lunch with the whole family. It was really like a group effort,” Nicolas recalls, emphasizing the collaborative and personal nature of the design process. “I felt like I was the fourth sister for a second.”
“You are the fourth sister!” Este replies, with a genuine laugh.
The bride knew she wanted something voluminous and dramatic, and Nicolas completely delivered on that vision. After trying on her dress and shedding a few emotional tears, the designer enters the fitting room. “You are a genius!” Este cries, overwhelmed with emotion. “I feel like the exact way that I wanted to be on my wedding day.”
For the dinner following the ceremony, Este changed into a romantic, drop-waisted lace dress with delicate spaghetti straps. Cleverly, the dress featured a removable skirt, allowing it to be shortened for the after-party, ensuring she could dance the night away in comfort and style. She tried this on at the end of the fitting and was equally thrilled with the result. “I’m looking forward to seeing my entire family together, for the first time in a long time, and partying with my friends, and finally being married,” Este says, radiant in her final look of the night. “Though the most important thing is that I’m getting married and that I met the right person. See you in 2026!”
Director: Nikki Petersen
Director Of Photography: Etienne Baussan
Editor: Michael Suyeda
Producers: Amaury Delcambre, Rashida Josiah
Creative Production Coordinator: Anisa Kennar
Associate Producer, On-Set: Megan Sinanis
Camera Operator: Nicolas Demousseau
Gaffer: Adam Pellé
Audio: Hubert Rey-Grange
Production Coordinators: Tanía Jones
Production Manager: Kristen Helmick
Line Producer: Natasha Soto-Albors
Assistant Editor: Fynn Lithgow
Post Production Coordinator: Holly Frew
Supervising Editor: Kameron Key
Post Production Supervisor: Alexa Deutsch
Talent Manager: Phoebe Dishner
Executive Producer: Rahel Gebreyes
Senior Director, Digital Video: Romy van den Broeke
Senior Director, Programming: Linda Gittleson
VP, Video Programming: Thespena Guatieri
Special Thanks: Torré Coffee Shop
What are your thoughts on celebrity weddings? Do you think the focus should be more on the couple and less on the fashion? Share your opinions in the comments below!
