French film producer Nicolas Altmayer and his partner, Mathilde Favier, director of public relations for Dior, died in a traffic accident in France, according to local authorities. The couple were travelling through the Deux-Sèvres department when their vehicle collided head-on with a lorry while attempting to overtake.
Nicolas Leclainche, deputy prosecutor of the Republic in Niort, explained that the crash occurred during an overtaking manoeuvre. Altmayer was 61 years old and worked as a film producer, credited on works such as "In the House", the series "OSS 117" and "Young & Beautiful".
Favier was 57 years old and held a management position in Dior's public relations department. The company said she made an "incredible contribution to the reputation of Christian Dior Couture through her commitment and elegance".
Bernard Arnault, chief executive of LVMH, expressed his condolences over Favier's death in a statement, describing her as someone who "devoted so many years to putting her passion, her energy and her talent at the service of the Maison Dior". Catherine Pégard, France's Minister of Culture, characterised Altmayer as an "experienced producer" who "spanned three decades of French cinema, never ceasing to leave his mark on it".
