Just hours before the iconic Cannes Film Festival red carpet is rolled out, the festival’s organisers have announced controversial changes to the event’s dress code.
The updated festival charter reads that, “for decency reasons, nudity is prohibited on the red carpet, as well as in any other area of the festival.” It goes on to assert that their team will hold the right to prohibit red carpet access to anyone in breach of the new outfit restrictions. This comes as a surprise in a time where variations of nude dressing have become a staple not just at Cannes but across all red carpets. Not to mention that outfits for such an event have already been decided for some time now, and guests may struggle to pivot with this last-minute announcement.
A rep for the festival told the Hollywood Reporter that the written updates to the charter only reflect “rules [that] have long been in effect” informally, and that the goal is only to “prohibit full nudity on the carpet.”
However, that raises more questions—what exactly does the festival classify as full nudity, and why is this being cemented just now?
In 2024, Bella Hadid walked the red carpet in a sheer body-con Saint Laurent dress with no issue. The model also wore a revealing Schiaparelli gown in 2021 with a barely-there gilded tree as a bodice. Fellow model Kendall Jenner has also donned many nude looks on the Cannes red carpet, and the two are certainly not alone in this.
While the festival is perhaps hoping to avoid viral moments on the more controversial side, such as Bianca Censori’s 2025 Grammy red carpet moment, it’s presumed that personal discretion will likely be utilised by security and the red carpet team regarding what kind of nudity is permissible, and by whom.
Another change to the dress code states that, “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.” This is also a cause for confusion, as Cannes has long been the stage for a show-stopping ball gown moment. Greta Gerwig in her hot pink Balenciaga gown in 2024 or Elle Fanning in Alexander McQueen in 2023 come to mind.
Though Cannes representatives have not mentioned it, last year there were several incidents concerning large dresses and traffic flow, which may be the source of this rule change. Kelly Rowland was rushed off the carpet by a security guard after the guard stepped on her Anamika Khanna gown’s train last year, while Ukrainian model Sawa Pontyjska sued the festival, claiming she had been manhandled “brutally” by security on the carpet. K-pop star Im Yoon-ah was stopped from posing on the carpet and later complained, and, perhaps the most viral moment came from Dominican actress Massiel Taveras, who was trying to display her gown’s long train, and was moved off the festival’s steps by a guard. The festival was critiqued for seemingly targeting women of colour with these rules in particular.
This is not the only time the Cannes dress code has been a source of controversy, with the festival coming under fire several years ago for its high heel policy for women, which has only recently been relaxed.
It is strange to say the least, to see the festival regressing in terms of policing women’s sartorial choices, especially since it has been criticised for such in the past. However, how severely these new rules will be enforced is yet to be known.
This story first appeared on GRAZIA International, Author: Sara Choudhry.
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