Cannes Film Festival 2024 Outfit Review
Right after the Met Gala, we travel across the Atlantic for the next red carpet – Cannes. This red carpet is very different from the Met Gala where it is about over-the-top outfits. There is quite a strict dress code for the red carpet (not for the other events) – which some may question. For example, there are no big bags such as tote bags for women and high heels are mandatory (which were sometimes also taken off as a protest). Men have to wear a dinner jacket and bow tie which is sometimes loosely interpreted.
We do see over-the-top outfits as well which are there for the social media effect, however, they are not as dominant as at the Met Gala. Despite the relatively strict dress code, there were quite a few interesting fashion moments on this year’s red carpet. This article covers selected outfits (it is not an overview of all the outfits at the Cannes Film Festival), Furthermore, this article focusses on the fashion only.
You can also watch my video here:
Hunter Schafer in Vintage Armani Privé
Let’s start with a vintage moment: Hunter Schafer wore archival Armani Privé from the Spring 2011collection where Giorgio Armani was inspired by two sources of inspiration: Firstly, by the “gleam of gemstones”[1], and secondly but outer space. The latter has been an inspiration for many designers – think about Pierre Cardin or Thierry Mugler.[2]
This red thread was clear throughout the collection, as the models wore space-inspired hats by Philip Treacy. The garments shimmered when the models walked down the runway and fashion journalists said it looked like liquid mercury, another nod to the theme. For this special type of shimmer, which is also visible on Hunter Schafer’s dress, Armani used a special technology for the organza fabric, he also used metal-threaded silk for some garments.[3]
Hunter Schafer’s dress was Look 35 of the collection without the white upper part which makes it look a bit less space-like and better suited for the Festival de Cannes. The dress is also interesting because of its shape as the top part is quite low and it achieves an effect as if the wearer steps out of the skirt-part of the dress.
Eva Green, Helena Christensen and Candice Swanepoel in Vivienne Westwood
Quite a few guests opted for Vivienne Westwood – Eva Green in a black ensemble which was very much her style, maybe it was just not the right choice for Cannes itself. Helena Christensen wore a white gown with a cape which may have been a nod to a white dress of the pret-à-porter Spring/Summer 2024 collection. It was a beautiful gown, her styling, however, especially the hair was not ideal. Candice Swanepoel wore Vivienne Westwood twice on the red carpet: The first dress was made from white tulle and lace and featured embroidered leaves. The second, and more dramatic look was a black gown with the signature Westwood bodice and an interesting neckline.
Naomi Campbell in Archival Chanel
This was one of the looks which immediately made headlines – one of the reasons was that Naomi Campbell wore archival Chanel; two icons coming together. She and her stylist Law Roach (who is also Zendaya’s stylist and who also wore Chanel at the Film Festival in Cannes) opted for a dress from the Chanel Fall 1996 Couture collection which Naomi Campbell herself presented on the runway. The dress features the typical Chanel house codes such as the pearl strands and the stripe pattern of which Gabrielle Chanel herself was very fond. There was one minor difference to the original styling: As Campbell did not wear the long black sheath dress underneath, the 2024-styling was definitely more daring as the transparent stripes revealed her legs.
There is another reason why this dress is so significant – they collection itself. The Fall 1996 Haute Couture collection was one of Karl Lagerfeld’s most famous collections for Chanel and it was inspired by Gabrielle Chanel’s passion for Asian lacquer furniture. Similar to Chanel, also Lagerfeld collected lacquer furniture. (You can read more about Karl Lagerfeld’s “Orientalism” in this article.) This inspiration is probably most visible in the iconic embroidered coats. Naomi Campbell’s dress was Look 86 and it also has the signature elongated silhouette which Karl Lagerfeld tried to achieve in that collection.[4]
Mouna Ayoub and Demi Moore in Schiaparelli
These embroidered coats are actually a link to another guest on this year’s red carpet. In November 2023, one of these coats was sold at an auction for EUR 312,000. Its former owner, Mouna Ayoub, an haute couture collector said she sold them because she did not fit into anymore and only wore it once to the Scala in Milan. As she wanted others to appreciate Lagerfeld’s work, she decided to part ways with it.[5] In Cannes, Mouna Ayoub wore Schiaparelli – unsurprisingly from the haute couture collection Spring/Summer 2024. This dress was the closing look of the collection and the neckline was increased and the back structure was lowered. I prefer the original look, as it is a bit more dramatic, but I still think it is a beautiful design.
Another Schiaparelli moment was Demi Moore, wearing a gown from the same collection with a very special part on top. You may remember what I mentioned in my article about the collection: on the runway, this dress looked very much reduced – because it came after the “Robot Dress” and many other more shocking designs by Daniel Roseberry. But I think I was right, when you wear this “simple” Schiaparelli design to an event, you will still turn heads as it is quite special.
Selena Gomez in Saint Laurent and Bulgari
Selena Gomez in Saint Laurent – a beautiful dress, but I do think it makes her look a bit old. She is a young woman who loves fashion and this is rather something that I would see on more mature actresses. But it was probably chosen to put the necklace in the spotlight. This “Diamond Swan Necklace” by Bulgari features a 20.08 ct drop diamond in the centre which is surrounded by two birds closing their wings. According to the brand, it took 2,000 hours to make and there are rumours that it is priced at USD 2.4 million.[6]
Anya Taylor Joy was seen in many looks, needless to say, a lot of them by Dior which is no surprise as she is their brand ambassador. But the most notable look an orange dress by Paris-based label ATLEIN which was founded by Antonin Tron in 2016 after graduating from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Antwerp and working for quite a few well-known fashion houses. As a surfer, his major source of inspiration is this sport and the ocean and he tries to incorporate the “focus on the body, its energy and movement”[7] into his designs.[8]
Lily Gladstone in Balenciaga
We have already covered some vintage garments, now it is time for a reinterpretations of archival designs which have become quite popular. Balenciaga seems to have found a new passion in their archives – I mentioned the reinterpretations for the Oscars and for the Met Gala in my articles. Out of all of the Balenciaga reinterpretations on the red carpets, this is my favourite, Lily Gladstone looks stunning in this reinterpretation of a Fall 1959 couture gown. The actress’s outfits are actually my favourites of this year’s film festival, some other great choices of her and her stylist Jason Rembert where a red gown by New York-based label Markarian and her two Gucci looks (one on the red carpet and a casual one in white).
Yseult and Rawdah Mohamed in Dior
The next reinterpretation probably does not need much explaining: French singer-songwriter and model Yseult in Dior. It is the famous “Bar Suit” from his first haute couture collection for his own house in 1947. Named “Corolle”, this collection featured wasp-waisted and hip-padded designs and became famous under the name “The New Look” which was coined by the American press. While the style of the 1920s and 1930s was looser, which can also be seen as a correlation with more female empowerment, this collection was the total opposite. For years, the accentuated hips and the hourglass figure would dominate fashion – until women decided to free themselves from this look which required corsets or girdles in the 1960s.[8] There was a second version on the runway in red worn by model Rawdah Mohamed.
I am not sure how I like about these 2024-versions, something feels off. Maybe the reason is that we have seen enough reinterpretations of archival garments. I would say that the brands could come up with something new, it feels a bit lazy. Or, maybe the Bar Suit is just “too iconic” to work. Maybe if the brand had reinterpreted a lesser known garment, it would have been more interesting, because it would offer a new perspective and we would all learn something new.
Menswear
As mentioned previously, the choices for men on the red carpet are a bit limited, as dinner jackets and bow ties are mandatory. There were a few examples of modern interpretations while still respecting the dress code such as French actor William Abadie in Brunello Cuccinelli.
Similar to the Met Gala red carpet, Barry Kheogan was one of my favourites this year. He did skip the bowtie, but this is probably due to the style of his shirt with intricate pleats. Another guest skipping the bowtie on the red carpet was Chris Hemsworth. However, he did not have any good reason to do so. It looked much too casual (call me traditional but I think he should have respected the dress code). But there was another “off-carpet” outfit of his I really liked: a blush pink suit. I am just not a fan of the Chelsea boots in Cannes in Spring – in the closet they go to the winter wardrobe.
Footnotes
[1-3] Vogue Runway 2024.
[4] Vogue Runway 2024b.
[5] Women’s Wear Daily 2024.
[6-7] ATLEIN 2024.
Sources
ATLEIN, About Page, last accessed on 22 May 2024.
Bulgari, Official X Account, last accessed on 22 May 2024.
Metropolitan Museum New York, Dior, Bar Suit, last accessed on 22 May 2024.
Vogue Runway, Spring 2011 Couture Armani Privé, last accessed on 22 May 2024.
Vogue Runway, Fall 1996 Couture Chanel, last accessed on 22 May 2024.
Women’s Wear Daily, Mouna Ayoub Sells Chanel Coat for 312,000 Euros, Phoebe Philo Restocks, last accessed on 22 May 2024.
Disclaimer
This article is based on the personal, views, experiences and research of the author, no fees were received by the organisations and people mentioned above. All information as of the date of publishing/updating.
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