Voluminous dresses are a no-no, too!
It’s official: Cannes Film Festival updated its dress policy to read that “nudity is prohibited on the red carpet, as well as in any other area of the festival”—on the eve of its 78th edition at that. The decision has been taken “for decency reasons,” it added.
On top of that, even voluminous dresses shouldn’t be on the fashion menu. Such outfits, particularly those with a large train, can “hinder the proper flow of traffic of guests and complicate seating in the theater are not permitted,” per the festival in its official charter, which you can access here. “The festival welcoming teams will be obligated to prohibit red carpet access to anyone not respecting these rules.”
Observers say the policy tweak comes amid the recent trend of sheer and “nude dresses, ” such as Bianca Censori’s controversial nearly-naked Grammys appearance.
A report on CNN, however, mentions that instead of providing clarity and guidance around sartorial choices, the added clause in Cannes’ dress code “potentially raises more questions.” It asks: “What is their definition of nudity?” Will the flashing of nipples, like what Florence Pugh did in that memorable hot pink Valentino in Rome, constitute “nudity” or does it refer to something more daring than that?
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Photo from Variety
Last year, model Bella Hadid arrived in a sandy-brown Saint Laurent number with a completely sheer halter-neck top. If she wore the same ensemble this year, would she be escorted away from the red carpet? How strictly will the dress code be enforced, and will A-list celebrities be booted for flouting the guidelines?
I guess we’ll have to see if anyone who dares will be denied entry. In 2015, a number of women were refused entry to a screening of the Cate Blanchett-starrer Carol for wearing flat shoes, which was against the festival’s high heels policy.
Cannes security officials have notoriously been strict when it comes to dress codes at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, the primary venue for the annual film festival, specifically for screenings at the Grand Théâtre Lumière, which hosts the auteur and A-list-packed world premieres.
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Black tie and evening wear are strictly required for those screenings. 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.” Well, celebrities and their stylists surely have a lot to keep in mind!
Twenty-two films are vying for the Palme d’Or, the Cannes’ top prize, this year, while several others in the festival are screening out of competition or doing world premieres, including Filipino director Lav Diaz’s nine-hour opus Magellan starring Gael Garcia Bernal.
With the new, strict guidelines, some celebrities had to make last-minute changes to their outfit, such as Halle Berry. “I had an amazing dress by Gupta that I cannot wear tonight because it’s too big of a train,” Berry said as quoted in Variety. “I’m not going to break the rules. The nudity part is also probably a good rule.”
Let’s see some of the looks which graced the Cannes red carpet on opening day with the new rules hanging over everybody’s head—and already we can see a few violators heh!
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