New Rules: The Cannes Film Festival Just Banned Nudity On The Red Carpet
CANNES, FRANCE – MAY 20: Bella Hadid in Saint Laurent at the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival, 2024. (Photo by)
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.' CANNES, FRANCE – JULY 11: Bella Hadid in Schiaparelli at the 74th annual Cannes Film Festival, 2021. (Photo by Mike Marsland/WireImage) CANNES, FRANCE – MAY 12: Kendall Jenner in Schiaparelli at the 71st annual Cannes Film Festival, 2018. (Photo by Pascal)
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. CANNES, FRANCE – MAY 23: Greta Gerwig in Balenciaga at the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival, 2024. (Photo by JB Lacroix/FilmMagic) CANNES, FRANCE – MAY 16: Elle Fanning in Alexander McQueen at the 76th Annual Cannes Film Festival, 2023. (Photo by)
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. CANNES, FRANCE – MAY 14: Kristen Stewart removing her heels before the red carpet at the 71st annual Cannes Film Festival, 2018. (Photo by)
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.
topics: Cannes Film Festival, Cannes, cannes film festival 2025, Red Carpet, Red Carpet Fashion, Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Elle Fanning, Greta Gerwig, KRISTEN STEWART, kelly rowland, fashion, Trending, celebrity, celebrity news, celebrity fashion, Fashion news
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Grazia USA
17 hours ago
- Grazia USA
Jonathan Anderson's Appointment At Dior Is A History-Making Move For The Fashion House
Photo: Getty Following his departure from Loewe after 11 years at the helm, it was announced in April Jonathan Anderson would be stepping into the role of creative director for Dior Men. But now a further announcement from the house of Dior and LVMH has further cemented Anderson's move to Dior as a history-making one. 'Jonathan Anderson is going to be the head of creation for Dior, across men's and women's, couture and accessories,' confirmed Delphine Arnault, chair and CEO of Christian Dior Couture, in an interview with Vogue Business , a move which she labelled 'very exciting'. It's a significant appointment for the heritage fashion house as it marks the first time there has been one creative figurehead across women's, men's and couture since Christian Dior himself. 'I think this is going to be great for the Maison. There will be consistency and coherence in the products, but also in terms of communication, I think our message will be much clearer,' Arnault noted of Anderson's appointment. Anderson, 40, himself shared his excitement to join Dior as its sole creative director. 'It is a great honour to join the House of Dior as Creative Director of both women's and men's collections,' he said in a statement on Instagram. 'I have always been inspired by the rich history of this House, its depth, and empathy. 'I look forward to working alongside its legendary Ateliers to craft the next chapter of this incredible story. I would like to express my sincere thanks to Bernard Arnault and Delphine Arnault for their trust and loyalty over the years.' Photo: Getty The announcement of Anderson's new role at Dior comes after Maria Grazia Chiuri announced she would be stepping down from her role as the creative director for Dior Women on Thursday. Chiuri was the first woman to ever lead Dior's women's collections, a role she held for nearly a decade. 'Christian Dior Couture announces that Maria Grazia Chiuri has decided to leave her position as Creative Director of women's haute couture, ready-to-wear and accessories collections,' read a statement from the Maison. 'The House of Dior wishes to express today its deepest gratitude to Maria Grazia Chiuri after a wonderful collaboration as Creative Director of women's collections since 2016.' Chiuri first joined the fashion house in 2016 which she brought her feminist vision to her collections, which began with her Spring/Summer 2017 debut, where models wore slogan tees emblazoned with Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's now-famous line: 'We should all be feminists.' Anderson will make his debut as the sole creative director of Dior at Men's Paris Fashion Week on June 27, 2025. topics: DIOR, Jonathan Anderson, LVMH, FASHION, Fashion news, featured
Grazia USA
3 days ago
- Grazia USA
Bella & Gigi Hadid Reveal They Have Another Sister: "We've Cherished This Unexpected And Beautiful Addition To Our Family"
Photo: Getty Supermodel sisters Bella and Gigi Hadid have revealed they have another sister. In a joint statement given to the Daily Mail , the siblings shared they have another half-sister named Aydan Nix, who is the daughter of their father, Mohamed Hadid. The sisters stated their father had a 'brief romance' with Terri Hatfield Dull, the mother of 23-year-old Aydan, after his divorce from Yolanda Hadid in 2001. 'Over 20 years ago, our dad, while single, had a brief relationship that led to a pregnancy,' the Palestinian-Dutch sisters outlined in their statement, which they highlighted they didn't know about until recently. Photo: Courtesy of Fashion Trust Arabia 'Aydan was born and raised in Florida, growing up with the man she lovingly knew as her father until his sudden passing when she was 19,' the statement added. This prompted Aydan to 'take a genetic test out of curiosity', which led the then-teenager to uncover she had a 'biological connection' to the Hadid family. According to their statement, Gigi and Bella connected with their younger half-sister in late 2023. 'We've cherished this unexpected and beautiful addition to our family,' Gigi and Bella stated, but also affirmed their hopes for Aydan's continued right to privacy. 'As siblings, we've had many open and loving conversations—with Aydan included—about how to support and protect her,' the sisters said in their statement to the outlet. 'Aydan and her family value their privacy, and we fully respect that. 'We kindly ask others to do the same and honour her wish and right to her anonymity as she continues her life as a young woman in New York.' Not much is known about Aydan, apart from she currently resides in New York City, having reportedly recently graduated from Parsons School of Design, with the hopes of working in the fashion industry. Photo: Instagram Bella, 28, and Gigi, 30, also have a brother, Anwar Hadid, 25, from Mohamed and Yolanda's marriage. They also have two other half-sisters, Alana Hadid, 39, and Marielle Hadid, 44, from Mohamed's previous marriage to Mary Butler. While it's not known about the ins and outs of the supermodel siblings' relationship with Aydan, both Gigi and Bella follow the aspiring designer on Instagram, as well as Mohamed.
Grazia USA
4 days ago
- Grazia USA
Maria Grazia Chiuri Exits Dior After Nine Years
Maria Grazia Chiuri walks the runway during the Christian Dior Haute Couture Fall Winter 2022 2023 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on July 04, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images) Maria Grazia Chiuri, the first woman to ever lead Dior's women's collections, is exiting the French house after nearly a decade at the helm. Appointed in 2016, Chiuri brought with her a resolutely feminist vision that reverberated through every runway, beginning with her Spring/Summer 2017 debut, where models wore slogan tees emblazoned with Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's now-famous line: 'We should all be feminists.' 'Christian Dior Couture announces that Maria Grazia Chiuri has decided to leave her position as Creative Director of women's haute couture, ready-to-wear and accessories collections,' read a statement from the Maison. 'The House of Dior wishes to express today its deepest gratitude to Maria Grazia Chiuri after a wonderful collaboration as Creative Director of women's collections since 2016.' Chiuri's time at Dior was prolific. Across couture, ready-to-wear and accessories, Chiuri reframed femininity not as a trending aesthetic but as a dialogue, collaborating with and honouring artists like Judy Chicago, Elena Bellantoni, and Faith Ringgold, and consistently spotlighting female artisans in Mumbai. Under her creative leadership, the house saw commercial and creative growth, with sales soaring from €2.2 billion to a peak of €9.5 billion in 2023. A model walks the runway during the Christian Dior Spring/Summer 2017 Ready-to-Wear fashion show—the first under Maria Grazia Chiuri's creative direction—on September 30, 2016 in Paris, France. (Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images) Delphine Arnault, Dior's Chairman and CEO, praised Chiuri for her 'inspiring feminist perspective and exceptional creativity,' noting that she 'greatly contributed to [Dior's] remarkable growth.' Chiuri, for her part, thanked the ateliers and the women artists who helped realise her vision. 'I am particularly grateful for the work accomplished by my teams and the Ateliers,' she wrote. 'Their talent and expertise allowed me to realise my vision of committed women's fashion, in close dialogue with several generations of female artists. Together, we have written an impactful chapter of which I am immensely proud.' From resurrecting the Saddle Bag to reinterpreting Marc Bohan's Miss Dior line, Chiuri saw herself as a curator of Dior's expansive legacy—not just of its founder, but of the visionaries who followed. As the house enters a new era—Jonathan Anderson now leading Dior Men, and senior leadership recalibrations still yet to be confirmed—speculation swirls about her successor. In an emotional farewell to the House, Chiuri presented her final collection, Cruise 2026, in her hometown of Rome this week.
