Cannes Film Festival: Staying fashionably true to film.

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Marc Jacobs and Sophia Coppola, Audrey Hepburn and Hubert de Givenchy, Giorgio Armani and Michelle Pfeiffer.

Fashion and film have a relationship that can be defined by a singular word - complicated. On the one hand, the two industries have birthed some of the greatest designer-muse partnerships ever witnessed: Givenchy and Hepburn; Armani and Pfeiffer; Marc Jacobs and Coppola, to name but a few. History’s most esteemed couturiers (the likes of Christian Dior and Cristobal Balenciaga) have clothed actors on the silver screen, and movies such as The Devil Wears Prada have solidified themselves as cult classics.

Then there is the other side of the coin. Despite what style-fuelled press tours and brand campaigns fronted by Hollywood mega stars may lead you to believe, these two entities exist in vastly different worlds. Take the Oscars, for instance. Are they glamorous? Absolutely. Do luxury houses hold a significant presence on the carpet? Without a doubt. Yet, it is not regarded as a ‘fashion’ event. Of course, there is no obligation for it to be treated as such; it’s a celebration of cinema, not style, although, when you glance at its music industry adjacent - the Grammys - the question arises as to why not? Year after year, the world’s biggest pop stars churn out experimental and exciting looks, yet this concept fails to translate to actors on their equivalent scale. Perhaps they have a desire to be taken more seriously, or not to detract from their work. Whilst both reasons are more than valid, it does pose a debate as to why these two seemingly interconnected spaces face such a power struggle.

However, there are a couple of weeks every May during which all troubles are cast aside, and the two industries fall into a perfect symbiosis. I am, of course, referring to the Cannes Film Festival. The red carpet in the South of France is amongst the most coveted in the calendar, with the most recognisable faces from all walks of life congregating in the name of film and fashion. That’s how Cannes solidified itself within the cultural sphere so seamlessly; there’s no hierarchy, just two beautiful forms of art intertwining to complement one another, not compete.

In the modern day, if you were to credit a singular figure with placing the festival on the fashion map, it would undoubtedly be Bella Hadid. As one of the highest-paid models in the world, her presence at certain events is expected, though in Cannes, it’s highly anticipated. Take this, for example: upon walking into the V&A’s blockbuster exhibition on the House of Schiaparelli, you’re greeted by two gowns, one of which is a striking black number with a brass necklace in the shape of trompe l’oeil lungs from the FW21 couture collection by Daniel Roseberry. This is, of course, the dress worn by Hadid on the carpet in 2021; a highly memorable moment for herself, the designer, and the entire festival itself.

Just recently, the pair collaborated once again, devising yet another look which shall surely go down in the history books. For a screening of “La Bataille De Gaulle: L'Âge De Fer” (De Gaulle: Tilting Iron), Hadid paid tribute to the late Jane Birkin, the distinguished French actress who was the muse behind the legendary Hermes bag. The supermodel stepped out in a compelling lace ivory gown (which took 130 artisans and over 22,000 hours to craft), with a subtle mermaid train and a dramatic plunged neckline, complete with a black jewelled detail above the navel. With the exception of some Schiaparelli signatures (like corset detailing on the rear of the dress), it all but mirrored an ensemble worn by Birkin to the Union of Artists Gala in 1969 by Emilio Pucci. A revival of fashion history infused with contemporary Roseberry flair is precisely what the festival needs to strengthen its position as a spectacle of style.

Although, there is a fine line between finding a beautiful balance between the two landscapes and sinking beneath the fashion-first headlines. Cannes has taken steps to protect this precarious relationship by famously banning ‘naked dresses’ just days before the festival commenced in 2025. Whilst the action itself almost proved counterproductive, as the controversial guidelines dominated much of the press that particular year, it did succeed in reinstating the notion that, whilst bold stylistic choices are encouraged, risqué is not the path to go down. 

Ultimately, however, it’s considerations such as this which position the Cannes Film Festival so simultaneously at the intersection of fashion and cinema. Establishing a strong relationship is one thing, but maintaining it is quite another, yet Cannes has achieved an unblemished harmony. Their red carpet is an unmissable moment for major fashion houses, yet amongst the daring looks, the identity of the festival remains flawlessly intact.