Mathilde Favier, Dior’s director of public relations and a prominent figure in the Paris fashion industry, has died in a traffic accident in western France, according to reports published on August 18.

El Pais reported that Favier died in Deux-Sevres after her car was struck by a truck. The report, citing Ouest-France and information from the Niort prosecutor’s office, said her partner, film producer Nicolas Altmayer, also died in the crash.

Spanish sports and culture newspaper AS separately reported the death of Mathilde Favier, describing her as a Dior icon and placing the collision near Thouars. The report said the vehicle was involved in a crash with a truck after an attempted overtake, while the circumstances remained attributed to the reporting surrounding the investigation.

Favier was widely known in fashion and entertainment circles for her work connecting Dior with designers, artists and public figures. El Pais described her as a key figure in French fashion and noted that she had worked in the industry from a young age.

The two reports identify the same death and the same partner, while the investigation details remain subject to information from French authorities. Searches for Mathilde Favier rose after the reports of the crash, bringing renewed attention to her long career in Dior’s public-relations operation.Dior public-relations director Mathilde Favier dies in car crash