It’s fair to say, this year’s Cannes red carpet will look drastically different. Ahead of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, the grand dame of cinematic showcases has done the unthinkable… They have banned naked dressing on the red carpet. They have also banned “voluminous” dresses that feature a “large train.”
An amendment was spotted in the Cannes Film Festival dress code just hours ahead of the event’s grand opening. The dress code section of the Cannes website now reads: “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 theatre are not permitted. The festival welcoming teams will be obligated to prohibit red carpet access to anyone not respecting these rules.”
The decision, which will have a direct impact on the ever-growing ‘naked’ dress trend, has been taken “for decency reasons,” the statement says.
Instead of providing clarity and guidance around sartorial choices, the added clause in Cannes’ dress code potentially raises more questions. What is their definition of nudity?
The updated guidance for the 2025 festival may have been influenced not just by the ubiquity of such dresses, but extreme cases that overshadowed the events to which they were worn. Last year Bella Hadid grabbed practically every headline around the world after she wore a see-through caramel coloured Saint Laurent dress on the Cannes red carpet ahead of the screening of the film The Apprentice at the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival on May 20, 2024. That dress would now be forbidden.
The last minute changes to the rules could hurt brands who’ve planned voluminous or sheer looks for this year’s event. After this is the Cannes red carpet, it’s likely naked and voluminous looks were on the cards for the high profile festival. Plus, red carpet looks are planned months in advance. And many stars wear couture looks that take hours of craft to produce, at huge cost. Plus,
The 78th annual Cannes Film Festival is taking place from Tuesday, May 13 to Sunday, May 24, 2025.
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