Gillian Anderson Opens Up About Confidence, Beauty Must-Haves, & Her Paris Runway Debut

On the first night of Paris Fashion Week, L’Oréal Paris took over Hôtel de Ville de Paris to host its annual fashion show, Le Défilé. The historic venue holds special significance. Not only was it a site of demonstrations during the French Revolution, but it was also the birthplace of women’s social organizing and wage-equality protests in the 19th century, shared the brand in a press release.

Now in its eighth year, the event reimagined the French national motto — Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité — with a feminist twist: Liberté, Egalité, Sororité. The updated motto served as a celebration of sisterhood, empowerment and self-worth. It also complemented the theme of the show, “Walk Your Worth,” perfectly. The goal was to “inspire all women, along with the brand’s family of fearless ambassadors, to unapologetically show up in the world and walk toward their destiny with confidence,” the brand explained. Helen Mirren, Andie MacDowell, Kendall Jenner, and Gillian Anderson were among the brand ambassadors who walked the runway.

Anderson, who was named a L’Oréal Paris ambassador earlier this year, made her Le Défilé debut at the event. She stepped out in a shimmering silver ankle-length dress with a fitted bodice. Her blonde hair was styled effortlessly, and her makeup kept natural, with just a touch of mascara and a hint of soft pink lipstick.

Ahead of her runway debut, TZR caught up with Anderson to talk about why she was excited to be part of the event, her beauty essentials, the advice she’d give her younger self, and more.

On What Excites Her Most About The Le Défilé Event

“I have been avoiding thinking about it because it's quite an intense day tomorrow, and I'm slightly in denial. But I feel very honored. There's a lot of women [who] will be there tomorrow that I hugely respect. And I'm proud to be representing a brand whose goal includes [promoting] diversity and inclusion, not just culturally, but also [across] different age groups among the ambassadors. I'm excited to be a part of that cross-section of womanhood.”

On What L’Oréal’s Famous Tagline Means To Her

“One of the things I was most nervous about when joining the brand was the expectation to say the slogan. Then I saw the Ilon Specht documentary about the origins of the slogan, and I fell entirely in love with her. And I thought, ‘You know what? If it all stems from this incredible woman and her intention, then I will take up that flag proudly.’ But it also then suddenly made sense to me; it is an expression of self-value. And there is a huge need today, particularly for young women, to find a sense of self-worth for themselves.

“I think two things are true at the same time. One is that [self-worth] has to come from the inside out. Very often, we focus so much on the outside — how we present and how we look. But sometimes it takes acting as if we [already] have that self-worth [whether that is] making an extra effort in how we dress or acting as if we are confident until we truly believe it.”

On Her L’Oréal Beauty Essentials

“I don't wear a lot of makeup, but I usually don't leave the house without some Panorama Mascara on. It does make a big difference, at least for me. It’s like suddenly the light has switched on.”

On The Advice She’d Give Her Younger Self

“I would give advice about being of service. I was told very early on that one can feel more self-esteem if you do esteem-able things. I have certainly found that to be true. Whatever things I might be worried about or self-obsessed about, if I make myself available to somebody who is struggling, or has greater needs in that moment than I do, it ultimately leads to feeling higher self-esteem.”

On The Beauty Look That Makes Her Feel Confident

"I usually wear my hair up in a ponytail just to keep it out of the way. But I’ve noticed that I tend to feel a bit more professional — even if it was blown out a week ago and I’m still riding the wave from a shoot. Just having it clipped in the back with some front pieces falling down feels like a more polished version of myself. It still feels like me, just not the scruffier version I sometimes show up as on Zooms from my iPad."