The Cannes Film Festival begins today. Post-pandemic and post-MeToo, Cannes has declined in relevancy, but it’s still an important stop for a lot of would-be awards contenders and stars. Cannes might even be “too big to fail” at this point, there’s just so much money involved, so many major sponsors who have invested so much in the festival. The one consistent thing about Cannes is that women still come out wearing absurd gowns and skimpy, tacky, body-baring looks. Well, no more? On the eve of the festival’s opening, the festivals organizers told media outlets that a stricter dress code will be enforced. That dress code? No breast-baring and no giant gowns. What are we doing here??
Ahead of the start of the 2025 edition, the Cannes Film Festival has issued an updated red carpet dress code that effectively bans full nudity and “voluminous” ensembles. “For decency reasons, nudity is prohibited on the red carpet, as well as in any other area of the festival. Voluminous outfits, in particular those with a large train, that hinder the proper flow of traffic of guests and complicate seating in the theater are not permitted,” per the festival on its official charter. “The festival welcoming teams will be obligated to prohibit red carpet access to anyone not respecting these rules.”
The Hollywood Reporter reached out to the Cannes press office for additional comment and a festival rep confirms that the charter was just updated to reflect “certain rules that have long been in effect.” The goal of the update is “not to regulate attire per se but to prohibit full nudity on the carpet” in accordance with the institutional framework of the festival as well as French law, per the Cannes rep.
Cannes security officials have notoriously been strict when it comes to dress codes at the Palais, specifically for screenings at the glamorous Grand Théâtre Lumière, which routinely hosts the auteur and A-list-packed world premieres. Black tie and evening wear is required for those screenings — held in the nighttime from 7-10 p.m. — and guidance suggests options like tuxedos and long dresses or “little black dress, cocktail dress, dark-colored pantsuit, a dressy top with black pants; elegant shoes and sandals with or without a heel; a black or navy-blue suit with bow-tie or dark-colored tie. Tote-bags, backpacks or large bags are prohibited.”
The new ban on nudity and voluminous outfits aligns with such codes, but it begs two questions: How strictly will the dress code be enforced, and will A-list stars and/or models be booted for flouting the rules? While “elegant shoes” are required, megastars Julia Roberts and Kristen Stewart have both removed their heels to glide up the Palais steps barefoot.
What bugs me is that this is that the dress-code update/enforcement was announced on the eve of the festival… when most women probably already organized their looks for the Palais, and many designers had already customized dozens of gowns with long, fussy trains and sheerness. Like, give women some notice so that they can make adjustments ahead of time. Anyway, I think we’ll probably hear of some women being turned away for various sheer looks, but I can’t see them turning away women for wearing big, dumb dresses. It will be interesting to see how these rules are enforced.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- Jessica Chastain attends the “Annette” screening and opening ceremony during the 74th annual Cannes Film Festival on July 06, 2021 in Cannes, France.,Image: 620021006, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Olivier Huitel / Avalon
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- 11 July 2021, France, Cannes: Model Bella Hadid attends the screening of the film “Tre Piani” during the 74th Annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals.,Image: 621058460, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Stefanie Rex / DPA Picture Alliance / Avalon
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- Sharon Stone attends the “The Story of my wife” Red Carpet during the 74th Cannes International Film Festival on Wednesday 14 July 2021 at Palais des festivals, Cannes. .,Image: 621530711, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: World Rights – Julie Edwards/Avalon.Red, Model Release: no, Credit line: Julie Edwards / Avalon
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- Glen Powell, Gigi Paris attend the screening of “Top Gun: Maverick” during the 75th annual Cannes film festival at Palais des Festivals on May 18, 2022 in Cannes, France,Image: 692480457, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Olivier Huitel / Avalon
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- Anne Hathaway,Image: 692813516, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Norbert Scanella / Panoramic / Avalon
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- Naomi Campbell photographed during the red carpet for the World Premiere of Killers of the Flower Moon as part of the 76th Cannes International Film Festival at Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France on 20 May 2023.,Image: 777758781, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Julie Edwards / Avalon
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- Irina Shayk,Image: 777773547, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Norbert Scanella / Panoramic / Avalon
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- Cate Blanchett,Image: 777778889, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Norbert Scanella / Panoramic / Avalon
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- Irina Shayk photographed during the Red Carpet for the premiere of Firebrand as part of the 76th Cannes International Film Festival at Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France on 21 May 2023.,Image: 778186456, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Julie Edwards / Avalon
One of the reasons I even pay ATTENTION to Cannes’ red carpet is because it’s WAY MORE OUTRAGEOUS THAN THE ACADEMY AWARDS!
What a basic bitch move😡
Agreed! Cannes is trashy and slutty and sheer, that’s what it is, that’s the glory of it. And to do this the day before it starts? That’s a play.
Same same. The fashion at Cannes is like 90% of the reason to pay it any attention all.
Have they banned that security guard yet?
100% this! Came here to say the problem with enhancing rules is Cannes security is notoriously racist and target people of color for disproportionate rule enforcement. Am sure that same shit will happen this year because they never effin’ learn!
Hmm. Was it Cannes when that woman was rushing Kelly up the steps last year? They’ve got bigger issues than sheer dresses just saying.
She targeted the non-Nordic looking women. So if you ain’t blonde and blue-eyed you have no chance in hell getting your photo taken at Cannes.
I really felt sorry for that South American actress who had that awesome train of Jesus. That security guard was truly awful.
I wonder if this has anything to do with Bianca Censori and the Grammy awards. The voluminous dress thing is maybe because it gets in other people’s way?
I think the voluminous dress thing might be because of a few dresses (at Cannes and other events) that used the train as a place to stick a political statement.
Oh, and that one woman from South America with the Jesus train. France does love prohibiting “ostentatious” displays of religious belief in public, enforcing it in an inherently racist manner, and calling that “religious freedom”.
Well now there will be more people watching this event just to see if the new rules are enforced and who they enforce them on. It’s gonna be a hoot to see who thinks their toes have been stepped on with these new rules. At least they are not making them wear heels but the shoes must still be elegant.
This dress code was decided on last year but only publicly announced to coincide with the festival opening. Stylists and designers have had plenty of time to prepare.
Of course they have. First part of article describes how highly choreographed and planned this event is, the last part of the article assumes that this was *surprise* information to those invited. I know this isn’t “literature” but come on folks – pay attention to what you just said?
This might be a culture thing. This Vogue article prior ban has a ton of French women at Cannes over the years, and it’s notable that none have huge ballgowns or sheer dresses:
https://www.vogue.co.uk/celebrity-photos/gallery/french-red-carpet-style-cannes
It’s the escort capital of the world for this weekend and yet they want women to dress modestly? Weird and gross.
Out of curiosity, would Bella’s divine Schiaparelli pass the dress code?
I think, this is because of Bianca & Kanye stunt on Grammys. If so, this might be an unpopular opinion, but it is good that there is a rule not to show your genitals in the name of fashion. Do your nude shots at a studio or home. Nobody gives consent for seeing a stranger’s genitals on a public platform. I saw a post about some looks in Cannes a few decades ago. Women had interesting, different, lovely dresses, pants. Now, it feels like, it is all about how much revealing it is gonna be. It is boring and most of the time ugly.
I tend to agree? I mean, is it really the worst thing in the world to ban two of the more (IMO) annoying trends in red carpet fashion? ML’s link above shows essentially a parade of French women dressing in a chic and elegant manner. Many of those outfits would be considered high fashion but none are sheer or voluminous. I’m no prude and I enjoy risky fashion but the sheer trend has mostly become derivative, boring, and uninspired. It’s rare that we see an example of sheerness these days that hasn’t been done before. As far as voluminous dresses go, they’re often impractical, fussy and a distraction in that they require a staff of people to maintain the dress on the carpet.
IDK…sometimes fashion rules can be good in that they force designers to think outside of the box. I do agree with Kaiser that this was too short of a notice but I still look forward to seeing what designers come up with.
Despite my snarky comment below, I agree too. The nude dress trend has turned into female exhibitionism with a non-consenting audience.
Agree — especially about consent.
I’d love for the sheer dress trend to die in a fire. It’s so tiring and it lacks imagination. Part of me always wondered if fashion designers wanted to use less fabric and less skirt tailoring to keep costs low. But will it seem like Cannes without voluminous dresses? Cannes wants to be like every film festival out there?
Cannes aside, it’s funny how sheer men’s suits are not a thing. It feels very “rules for thee and not for me.” Shirtless doesn’t count, it’s not a private area.
The Cannes organizers remind me of an HOA board. Don’t you guys have anything better to do?
I hope Jennifer Lawrence shows up in flip flops again.
Especially if the flip flops are bedazzled!!! That will make them elegant, right?
Or bedazzled crocs – très très chic!
You know, I did not have a French film festival coming out against nudity on my 2025 bingo card. What is going on in Europe?
Nudity shouldn’t be in public. There’s nothing wrong with it, but people should be able to choose if they want to view it or not. A fashion show or film festival is not the place.
That said, I hope they were more specific in the rules about what is allowed or not. Because the security is obviously biased.
Sorry but if there’s nothing wrong with it, why shouldn’t it be public? I’m not saying every occasion calls for someone wandering around totally naked, but women being topless (or having gowns with sheer bodices) is totally fine. Nothing bad will happen to you if you, god forbid, see breasts.
I’m hoping all the women attend in the same boring black column dress with the most boring 1″ heels. Make a statement. No one cares about Cannes and the only coverage they get is for the fashion on the stairs, make them pay for their lack of awareness.
Hmmm, not unhappy at not seeing more nipples. I wonder if they will apply this standard to men with no shirts?
Do men attend these shows without shirt? I don’t remember any famous men going to events shirtless. The most daring one coming to my mind is Timothee Chalamet wearing a backless shirt. Men are most of the time dressed from top to bottom. That is why when women wear almost nothing, they seem weird surrounded by their male costars all in suits. It is definitely weird women fashion have become all about wearing less and less.
Possibly unpopular opinion: I don’t think bodies, women’s or anyone’s, should be controlled by imposing arbitrary taste standards. Meaning that I don’t think “sheer” is automatically offensive. I don’t really think “nude” is inherently offensive, or a form of assult on non-consenting eyeballs. I wouldn’t be comfortable wearing it, but I think bodies are beautiful, and fashion — especially high end fashion — is an art form. Like, I think the dress Bella Hadid is wearing above is actually rather beautiful, and I kind of wish the structural pieces had gone further. I’m also not looking for her nipples, but I also feel kind of like “So what?” about them if they’re there… I have nipples, we’re mammals, I’m not going to freak out if I see a nipple. I’m not going to freak out if my kid sees a nipple. Ankles, elbows, nipples…I just don’t care. I think the biggest problem is that we’re only supposed to be allowed to see certain kinds of nipples/bodies: those of the young adults and those arbitrarily defined as beautiful. If everyone gets to be sheer, I’m fine with it; I’m not fine with it as the commodification of a fleeting phase of life.
But, I do think the Biana Censori dress at the Grammys was super unsettling. Not because my eyes can’t handle seeing a human body, but because the aura of it — the dehumanization, the subordination, the vacancy of it, the lifelessness — were all deeply uncomfortable to witness. If it was art, it was disturbing performance art. But I suspect that it was something else, and it’s something that makes true the adage that one can’t define offense in art, but they know it the second they see it.
Can you name one instance of a man being partially nude on the red carpet?
THAT is why showing female nudity is objectifying (to me anyway).
This is totally stripping women of their own agency. Women who wear sheer gowns on the red carpet have tried on many things, had conversations with stylists and designers, had fittings, and picked the thing they want to wear.
I just want to know if they banned that female employee, guard that wouldn’t keep her hands off the attendees – women, even when they told her to keep her hands off them. That got on my very last nerve last year. And my first thought was to wonder if they let the attendees know ahead of time, because if I traveled and planned, I would wear what I had with me. Surely, they did.
Do women wear very revealing clothing for other women or for men? Who is their target audience as they make their clothing se lections? I say they dress to attract men, husband says “no” , it’s in competition with other women.
Neither. They wear it for themselves, the same way anyone leaves the house wearing something they like and feel good in.
I mean, women attending these events are not after men. They are there to promote their movies or themselves as models, actresses. The easiest way to get media attention seems to be wearing something shocking, like Lady Gaga in meat dress or Rihanna in a sheer dress with crystals. Considering media leans more towards male gaze, it isn’t surprising we are getting more naked women. Otherwise, both genders do the same.
It seems the entire world wants women to go back to 1952.