20-05-2025
Cannes goes kinky! 'Fetish fashion' takes over red carpet as stars don their finest leather looks amid film festival's crackdown on 'naked' outfits
Movie stars have brought A-list fashion to the red carpet on the Cote d'Azur during this year's Cannes Film Festival - but as the organisers have implemented a dress code crackdown, an unexpected trend has emerged.
In a first for the festival, a wave of celebrities appeared at premieres and photocalls donning their finest leather garments - whether in statement boots, biker jackets or full frocks.
From Alexander Skarsgard's eyebrow-raising thigh-high 'fetish boots' to Zoe Saldana pairing her black gown with a biker jacket and Nicole Kidman in a corseted leather top, the celebs have truly embraced the divisive material on the traditionally formal Cannes red carpet.
Skarsgård has taken a leaf out of Margot Robbie 's style book by 'method dressing' throughout the festival, wearing outfits that match the theme of his film Pillion, which he has been promoting.
The 48-year-old plays Ray, a biker gang leader, in the film, which made its debut to rave reviews at the festival, and he's been dressing in leather as an homage to his character.
During a screening for the film on Sunday, Skarsgård smiled alongside his costars wearing a pair of leather Loewe trousers and matching motorcycle boots, a white vintage t-shirt and aviator sunglasses.
He posed up a storm, showing off his leather ensemble much to the delight of many of his fans.
'I'm never getting over Alexander Skarsgard in leather pants, GOOD LORD,' one woman tweeted.
At the premiere of Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning, Zoe Saldaña gave classic glamour an edgy twist by wearing an leather coat over the top of her sleek black Saint Laurent gown
'Alexander Skarsgård wearing leather pants for the premiere of his new queer film…I'm obsessed with this man, you don't understand,' another remarked.
'The one thing Alexander Skarsgård is going to do is play up the theme of his film on the red carpet,' someone added.
Later that evening at the film The Phoenician Scheme's red carpet premiere, the actor upped the ante and wowed fans by pairing his sleek formal suit with a pair of Saint Laurent 'fetish' boots that went well up past his knees.
The thigh-high boots with a loose fit and buckle detailing were a stark contrast to the dapper double-breasted tuxedo with silk lapels he styled them with.
'Alexander Skarsgård in these kinky Saint Laurent boots,' one fan commented online, and another wrote: 'Love a man in a thigh high.'
And Skarsgård isn't the only one to jump aboard the 'fetish dressing' trend.
Nicole Kidman donned an edgy Balenciaga leather corseted jacket as she was presented the 2025 Women In Motion Award during the film festival on Sunday.
The A-lister looked incredible as she embodied 'motocore' style in the corset-style leather jacket, which she teamed with low-rise jeans and a chunky belt.
At the premiere of Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning, Zoe Saldaña gave classic glamour an edgy twist by wearing an oversized leather coat over the top of her sleek black Saint Laurent gown.
Later that evening, the actor upped the ante and wowed fans by pairing his sleek formal suit with a pair of Saint Laurent 'fetish' boots that went well up past his knees
She clutched the jacket so it sat below her shoulders while posing for and waving to the flurry of photographers alongside her husband, Marco Perego.
Gabbriette brought out her inner spy at the Mission Impossible premiere, opting for a head-to-toe leather look.
The model was oozing Gothic glamour as she wore a structured, floor-length black leather gown and chunky silver jewellery by brand Chrome Hearts.
This year's Cannes jury president Juliette Binoche went for a Matrix-like leather look at the Trophee Chopard Dinner on Saturday.
The French actress looked chic in the skin-tight off-shoulder dress with a front zip and thigh-high split.
She wore latex-like boots under the dress and paired the rebellious look with a pair of black sunglasses.
Other celebrities took a more subtle approach to 'fetish dressing'.
At Sunday's The Phoenician premiere, Julianne Moore stunned in a simple Bottega Veneta dress with a risqué feature.
The black sheath frock included one single strap made from strings of leather tied into a knot ,with its tassels not looking dissimilar to a whip.
Gabbriette brought out her inner spy at the Mission Impossible premiere oozing Gothic glamour as she wore a structured, floor-length black leather gown and chunky silver jewellery
The 'kinky' fashion fad comes after Cannes updated its dress code to ban 'nude dressing' just days before the festival was due to begin.
According to organisers, the austere move is an attempt to stifle the celebrity trend for 'naked dresses' - namely provocative outfits that reveal considerably more than they conceal - on the red carpet.
'For decency reasons, nudity is prohibited on the red carpet, as well as any other area of the festival,' states a Cannes festival document.
'The festival welcoming teams will be obligated to prohibit red carpet access to anyone not respecting these rules.'
The surprise new policy features in a recent festival-goers charter, released with a series of outlines regarding expected public behaviour.
Guests are expected to converge on the Grand Auditorium Louis Lumière for some of the highest profile film screenings across a packed seven-day schedule in Cannes.
It's understood that the iconic venue now adopts a more conservative dress code, with suits, dinner jackets, and floor-length evening gowns generally favoured over headline-grabbing ensembles.
Classic little black dresses, cocktail dresses, pant-suits, dressy tops and elegant sandals, 'with or without a heel', will also be permitted.
While the decision to implement a more stringent policy will be a first, it is not known if French TV broadcasters, wary of airing nudity, played a role in its enforcement.
Major red carpet events, including the Cannes Film Festival, are aired in France by France Télévisions.
Recently attracting more models and influencers than actors and filmmakers, the annual ceremony has seen an increase in risque red carpet fashion statements.
