In a surprising move just a few hours before the global event was to kickstart, the 78th Cannes Film Festival issued an updated red carpet dress code, sending the fashion fraternity into a frenzy. On the eve of May 12, 2025, the organising body shared its official charter, which banned nudity, voluptuous gowns, and long trains.
“For the Grand Théâtre Lumière gala screenings taking place around 7 and 10 p.m., which are attended by the artistic teams, evening wear (long dress, tuxedo) is required. Alternatively, you may also wear ‘a little black dress,’ a cocktail dress, a 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,” read the document.
They also prohibit tote bags, backpacks, and large bags during gala screenings. Near the Gare Maritime, lockers are available, and they are open until 12:30 AM, it said.
“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. The Festival welcoming teams will be obligated to prohibit Red Carpet access to anyone not respecting these rules,” was the last nail on the coffin.
Heidi Klum violates the dress code (Reuters)
Halle Berry, the first victim
Hollywood stalwarts recorded their attendance at the Film Festival opening ceremony last night, and jury panelist Halle Berry was also present in the crowd. The James Bond actor was all set to wear a Gaurav Gupta creation, but the new rules had her rethink her choice.
During the Cannes jury press conference, Berry spoke about her last-minute outfit change: “I had an amazing dress by [Gaurav] Gupta to wear tonight, and I cannot wear it because the train’s too big.”
Variety reported that Berry, however, wasn’t completely upset about it and decided to follow the rules. “I had to make a pivot. But the nudity part, I do think, is probably also a good rule,” the Academy Award winner said. So, she chose a black-and-white striped Jacquemus halter neck gown, leaving us wondering about her initial outfit.
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Curious, we reached out to the ace designer to learn what he had to say about this series of events.
“Our teams had been working closely with Halle Berry and her stylist to bring a special moment to life at Cannes. While the gown couldn’t be worn due to updated regulations around long trains, we remain proud of the vision we created together. True couture doesn’t always need a stage; sometimes, just the intention is enough to ignite the imagination,” Gupta told indianexpress.com.
Wan QianHui posed on the red carpet during the opening ceremony (Reuters)
Which celebrities violated the Cannes dress code?
Following the official statement from Cannes, many celebrities had to change their ensembles at the twelfth hour. However, certain A-listers chose to refute the updated regulations.
So far, Bella Hadid showed up in a bold black Saint Laurent with a daring slit and statement Chopard jewels, while Heidi Klum flouted the dress code in a pink and white ruffled ensemble featuring a large train. Chinese actor Wan QianHui also posed on the red carpet in a poofy, cloud-inspired white strapless gown during the opening ceremony.
