Nude fashion banned at Cannes Film Festival? Know about this new dress code

Hindustan Times

15-05-2025

Nude fashion is taking the red carpet in the contemporary era by storm, whether it's sheer materials, barely-there gowns, or risque cuts that leave little to the imagination. Nude fashion sparks much debate and discussion among netizens. It exists on a spectrum, open to interpretation, whether it's for publicity, empowerment, normalising body anatomy, or simply in tandem with a designer's vision. Nudity is as subjective as it gets.
But the glamorous Cannes Film Festival 2025, however, has decided to put its foot down, drawing a line with a strict new dress code. It turns out, for Cannes, nude fashion is not all grey; it's a big red flag, which is undeserving of the red carpet. The Cannes red carpet has previously seen countless statement-making, barely-there, and audacious looks, but now, the sultry drama will be dialled down, setting sharper, clearer boundaries on what not to wear.
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The Cannes Film Festival is currently underway in Cannes, France, from May 13 to May 24 this year, celebrating cinema, fashion, and art.
On the official website of the Cannes Film Festival, the dress code rules are clearly explained, detailing not only what to avoid but also outlining ideal outfit choices.
It said, '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 (no sneakers) ; a black or navy-blue suit with bow-tie or dark-colored tie. 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.'
In fact, revealing dresses work on the shock value, promptly going viral as netizens scratch their head in confusion but sharing forward nonetheless. It appears that the event wants to focus on cinema instead of its viral fashion moments. This is a formal and rather firm action towards naked dressing that seems to be trending on red carpets lately.
Other than nude dresses, long trains of gowns are also prohibited for practical reasons.
Cannes may be pulling the curtains on bold fashion on the grounds of decency, but past years have seen several jaw-dropping, audacious looks that have probably gone down in the history of nude fashion.
Supermodel Bella Hadid set back-to-back daring, head-turning looks, from bold cut-out gowns to sheer dresses; she was one of the icons of nude fashion at Cannes red carpets in recent times.
Here are her looks: 2021's Schiaparelli golden breast plate (with lungs-like design) and 2024's Saint Laurent sheer dress-
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This year, the Hadid sister tiptoed the dress code, adhering to the rules while adding her signature spice with a sultry cross-back design, exposed sides, and a high leg slit. She smartly defied the 'no nudity' rule without crossing the line.
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Other than Bella Hadid, the other reigning supermodel, Kendall Jenner, also turned heads and cameras with her daring look in the last few years. In 2018, she ditched her bra and opted for a white ruffled gown, which was sheer and featured a deep neckline.
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