9 Times Celebrities Broke All the Fashion Rules at Cannes

This year, the Palme d’Or has gone prude. Whoever receives the highest honor at the Cannes Film Festival will do so in more modest attire—along with everyone else who attends the premieres this week. That seems to be the point of the festival’s just-announced dress code that bars full nudity (“for decency reasons”), voluminous silhouettes, and extra-long trains (that hinder the proper flow of traffic of guests and complicate seating).

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Bianca Jagger with Helmut Berger, 1975 Madonna in her famous Jean Paul Gaultier cone bra, 1991 Pam Anderson at the premiere of Barb Wire, 1994 Sharon Stone at the premiere of Unzipped, 1995 Milla Jovovich wearing John Galliano to the premiere of The Fifth Element, 1997 Spanish actress Victoria Abril in a revealing blazer, 1997 Uma Thurman wearing flat sandals, 2011 Kristen Stewart going barefoot, 2018 Bella Hadid in Alexandre Vauthier, 2016

Why the organization chose to go public with these new rules one day before the festival starts remains a mystery. It could be a response to the recent rise of method and naked dressing on the red carpets of events like the Grammys and the Met Gala—a pair of trends that have proven irresistible to celebrities. After all, the more you show of yourself or a character you’re playing, the more viral you go.

The festival is a sacred event for the film world, so it’s understandable that the organizers would want to maintain a level of decorum. But the truth is, the Croisette—the famous promenade that runs through Cannes—is a place where rules have always been broken. Whether on the red carpet, at photocalls, or on screen in some of the most profound and innovative films of cinematic history, the Cannes Film Festival has always rewarded risk-taking.

Historically, Cannes has given us many iconic fashion moments—looks that were rebellious, subversive, and of course, unapologetically hot. Bianca Jagger, Victoria Abril, and Pam Anderson all walked so today’s It girls could run, making statements in transparent dresses, hot pants, and leather bustiers. Before Bella Hadid turned up at the festival in a red Alexandre Vauthier gown that looked as though one whisper of wind would float it off her body and into the Mediterranean, Milla Jovovich celebrated the premiere of The Fifth Element in a barely-there warrior princess dress with strategically placed beading by John Galliano (who re-imagined the design for Miley Cyrus at the 2024 Grammys).

Aside from the spectrum of overtly hot looks seen on the red carpet at Cannes over the years, there’ve also been actresses who’ve broken different rules. Kristen Stewart and Julia Roberts famously took off their heels and went barefoot on the red carpet, while Uma Thurman defied the “no flat shoes” edict and wore a pair of sleek strappy sandals with her gown. And really, these women were no less glamorous or chic without their stilettos. In fact, it gave them an added dose of French-invented je nais se quois—a certain sartorial spark that a dress code can’t tame.

Ironically, the festival is held just steps away from the beaches of the French Riviera, where locals sun themselves topless with abandon. There’s nothing wrong with nakedness or statement-making silhouettes or bare feet on a red carpet, so long as the choice of dress is an individual one, not purely a marketing stunt. It will be interesting to see who goes against the grain this year and defies the festival regulations. At Cannes, the fashion rebels are often the stars of the show.

Below, some of the coolest rule-breaking style moments in the history of the festival.