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Naked Dresses: Why The Cannes Film Festival Has Tightened The Dress Code

Naked Dresses: Why The Cannes Film Festival Has Tightened The Dress Code

NZ Herald21-05-2025
Jane Phare catalogues the response from stars on the red carpet at Cannes following a change of dress code rules.
Quelle horreur! No naked bits, long trains or voluminous gowns are allowed at the Cannes Film Festival this year, according to new rules introduced 24 hours before one of
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Rugging up for the new semester a fashionable decision
Rugging up for the new semester a fashionable decision

Otago Daily Times

time6 days ago

  • Otago Daily Times

Rugging up for the new semester a fashionable decision

This semester, two things have stood out in stark contrast to semester 1: the cold and the coats. The Dunedin winter has long settled in, and with it comes the transformation of campus wardrobes. Clothing in this city — especially among students — isn't strictly about warmth. I've come to realise that fashion is one of the most underestimated and most potent forms of expression available to us. Clothing tells stories: of protest, heritage, identity and community. What we choose to wear reflects how we see ourselves, the values we carry and how much of this we are willing to share with the world. And for many students, university is the first time we are allowed to make that choice every day — identity formation in motion. Many students are only a few months out of the conformity of school uniforms, and it's a natural survival instinct for some to blend in. There is safety in similarity. But the closer you look, the more individuality you begin to see; tattoos, piercings, dyed hair. Fashion is deeply personal, but powerful collectively. A group wearing the same logo or colours can make you stop and wonder. Are they a sports team or a protest group? Are they making a statement? The visual clues speak louder than you'd think. On campus, groups like Thursdays in Black, which I have mentioned previously in this column, wear simple black outfits to call attention to sexual violence. It's fashion as a symbol of solidarity and resistance. Internationally, too, fashion continues to be a powerful political force. An example that stands out is Cate Blanchett's black, white and green dress at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, which incorporated the colours of the Palestinian flag, with the festival's red carpet completing the final component. The colours of the tino rangatiratanga flag here are synonymous with Māori sovereignty and independence, exemplified in the Toitū te Tiriti T-shirts often seen being worn with pride and purpose. Students wear their pounamu, taonga and precious jewels, often gifted by important people in their lives, in recognition of milestones and achievements. Another decisive shift has been happening quietly around us: how students engage with fashion consumption. Second-hand shopping is no longer on the fringe — it's everywhere, stylish and values-driven. At Recycle Boutique on George St, a popular spot among students, the process is circular: you sell a piece you've outgrown and use the credit to find something new (to you). Many students run their curated thrift stores out of Instagram accounts or apps like Depop and Designer Wardrobe. At university market days, these students can apply for a stallholder license for free and set up in-person shops, expressing their creativity, confidence and entrepreneurship. It's collaborative, local and driven by affordability and sustainability. Another significant player in this system is the dress rental industry. University and high school students alike have numerous options for websites to rent a dress for a ball, formal occasion, birthday party or other event. Saturday mornings often mean a stream of students sending off parcels: listed, carefully packaged, addressed and lovingly reworn by someone else upon their arrival. Despite the growing consciousness, fast fashion hasn't disappeared. Online shopping remains a huge industry, and couriers remain a regular part of the system. I imagine student carbon emissions are relatively high due to the flights home and back during breaks. Buying second-hand, avoiding fast fashion, supporting small businesses and choosing quality over quantity can be effective ways to tread more lightly. Supporting local creatives is a wonderfully rewarding way to give back. I recently bought a T-shirt from Tumbleweed, a small Aotearoa-based brand that produces to order and draws inspiration from our native wildlife and landscapes. Purchases give back to conservation efforts. I sent the T-shirt to a friend living overseas, as a piece of home. Ōtepoti itself is a hub for creativity and expression through clothing. The annual iD Dunedin Fashion Week features student models and showcases designers from around the country. Local brands like NOM*d, Zambesi and Company of Strangers all emphasise sustainability, ethical production and low-waste design. These labels not only put Aotearoa on the global fashion map but also offer a deep well of creative inspiration for aspiring fashion students in Dunedin. Dunedin's Bellebird Boutique is known for employing local fashion students, providing them with valuable work experience, insights and a sense of community within the world they aspire to enter. In the August print edition of Vogue, a Guess advertisement featured a model created using AI. This has led to much online discourse about the use of AI in creative industries. Student entrepreneurs, designers and creatives must be protected and uplifted; the AI model shows what is at stake. In small moments, clothing creates connection. Compliments spark conversation, and people become uplifted. At my hall's end-of-year prizegiving, there was an award for best-dressed resident. It seemed light-hearted, but it honoured the quiet artistry and self-care that goes into getting dressed — especially on a student budget in Dunedin winter. Fashion is culture, memory, protest, climate, connection and creativity woven and stitched together in ways that reflect who we are and who we are becoming. Kind regards, Grace. • Dunedin resident Grace Togneri is a fourth-year law student.

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