REVIEW: Trouble lies ahead in ‘The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart’ 

“The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart” is adapted from Holly Ringland’s novel of the same name. (Supplied)
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Updated 11 August 2023
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REVIEW: Trouble lies ahead in ‘The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart’ 

  • Sigourney Weaver shines in this new drama on Amazon Prime 

LONDON: There’s a fascinating opening few minutes to Amazon’s new limited series, “The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart” — adapted from Holly Ringland’s novel of the same name. Nine-year-old Alice lives a seemingly idyllic life in the gorgeous Australian countryside with her doting mother and (initially, at least) loving father. But then, over the course of a few scenes, we start to notice that Alice, and her mother Agnes, are sporting some nasty looking bruises, and that her father, Clem, rules his house with a decidedly closed fist. It’s an arresting about-turn, especially for the first episode. 




“The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart” is Amazon’s new limited series. (Supplied)

Once we’re all up to speed, however, “The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart” wastes no more time — limited, in this case, is right, as the show premieres with three episodes, with weekly releases for the following four. As the reality of Agnes and Alice’s situation sinks in, we learn exactly why a very young girl dreams of setting her father on fire. Soon after reading a book about a phoenix rising from the ashes, their house is consumed in a mysterious blaze, with Alice the only survivor. If that seems a little on the nose, it’s because it is. And it’s not the only time “The Lost Flowers” leans into portentous forbearing. The entire thing is dripping with symbolism. So much so that, on occasion, it can feel a little condescending — hand-holding to the point of being patronizing can leave a nasty taste in the mouth.  

But “The Lost Flowers” has a secret weapon: Sigourney Weaver as Alice’s grandmother June, who takes her to live on her flower farm. Her (presumably) Australian accent might be a little hit-and-miss, but everything else about her performance is a triumph. Every worried frown and eye flick betrays unspoken secrets and (as yet) unrevealed truths about the farm, Clem, Agnes and even Alice herself. Between Weaver and the extremely talented Alyla Browne as Alice — Alycia Debnam-Carey (“Fear The Walking Dead”) plays the adult Alice later in the series — it’s possible to forgive the more egregious bouts of pretension and enjoy this beautifully shot, scored and acted show.  


Mona Tougaard wears bridal look at Dior’s Paris show

Updated 27 January 2026
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Mona Tougaard wears bridal look at Dior’s Paris show

  • Rihanna and Brigitte Macron among attendees at show
  • Design part of new director Jonathan Anderson’s vision

DUBAI/ PARIS: Model Mona Tougaard reportedly turned heads in a bridal-inspired look on the Christian Dior runway during the recent Paris Haute Couture Week.

The runway star, who has Danish, Turkish, Somali and Ethiopian ancestry, wore a sculptural white gown with a one-shoulder silhouette and layered petal-like appliques cascading from the bodice to the full skirt.

The asymmetrical bodice featured draped detailing across the torso, while the skirt flared into a voluminous, floor-length shape.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Dior Official (@dior)

The look was finished with oversized floral statement earrings that echoed the dress’s petal motif.

The floral elements echoed the wider vision of Dior’s new creative director Jonathan Anderson, who drew inspiration from nature and his love of ceramics for his first Haute Couture collection since being appointed to the role.

The 41-year-old faces the rare challenge of overseeing all three fashion lines at the house — women’s and men’s ready-to-wear and Haute Couture — becoming the first designer to do so since Christian Dior himself.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Dior Official (@dior)

Just days after presenting his latest men’s collection during Paris Men’s Fashion Week, the Northern Irish designer returned with his first couture offering.

The collection featured floral motifs on fabrics or as accessories, while sculptural bulbous dresses were inspired by the work of Kenya-born ceramicist Magdelene Odundo.

“When you copy nature, you always learn something,” Anderson declared in his show notes, which compared Haute Couture to a living ecosystem that is “evolving, adapting, enduring.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Dior Official (@dior)

Other noteworthy pieces included dresses with spherical birdcage-inspired silhouettes, while other models wore vest tops with their dresses gathered around their waists.

The front row at the Rodin Museum reflected the scale of anticipation surrounding Anderson’s couture debut. France’s first lady Brigitte Macron arrived early, while Lauren Sanchez Bezos swept in shortly after.

Actor Parker Posey twirled briefly in a trench-style dress, playing to the room before settling in.

Then the space fell into a collective pause as celebrities and editors alike waited for Rihanna. When the pop star finally took her seat, the lights dropped and the show began.

Before the show, Anderson admitted in an interview with the Business of Fashion website that he previously thought couture was “irrelevant,” adding that he never really “understood the glamour behind it.”

“Now, I feel like I’m doing a Ph.D. in couture,” he explained.