The festival’s updated guidelines prohibit nudity and voluminous designs on the red carpet, signaling a shift in expectations ahead of the May 13 kickoff.
Just ahead of its May 13 kickoff, the Cannes Film Festival has quietly introduced a newly tightened red carpet dress code — and some of the most talked-about celebrity styles of recent years may no longer pass muster.
According to the updated “Festival-goer’s Charter” published on Cannes’ official FAQ page, attendees are now explicitly prohibited from wearing “nude” or overly “voluminous” ensembles. The rules state that “nudity is prohibited on the red carpet, as well as in any other area of the festival, for decency reasons,” and garments with large trains or exaggerated silhouettes that “hinder the proper flow of traffic of guests and complicate seating in the theater” are also not permitted.
For its nightly gala screenings at the Grand Théâtre Lumière — home to the festival’s most prominent premieres — the dress code mandates eveningwear: floor-length gowns and tuxedos. More flexible options include cocktail dresses, dark-colored pantsuits, and tailored suits with ties or bowties, paired with “elegant shoes or sandals.” Sneakers remain off-limits.
While these standards may seem unsurprising, they represent a pointed shift for an event long known for its fashion experimentation and headline-making red carpet appearances. In recent years, Cannes has played host to everything from Bella Hadid’s sheer Saint Laurent gown to Kristen Stewart’s barefoot protest of the festival’s previous high-heel mandate.
The festival has a history of controversial red carpet enforcement. In 2015, reports surfaced that women were denied entry for wearing flat shoes. More recently, Jennifer Lawrence raised eyebrows for swapping her heels for flip-flops on the carpet. And last year, actress Kelly Rowland appeared to be hurried up the steps by red carpet staff — prompting online debate over how guests are policed at the event.
With the new guidelines in place and enforcement emphasized in official statements — “The Festival welcoming teams will be obligated to prohibit red carpet access to anyone not respecting these rules” — stylists, celebrities, and fashion houses may be forced to rethink their Cannes strategies.
As stars prepare for one of the most closely watched stages in fashion, all eyes will be on whether the new rules are followed — or quietly challenged. After all, Cannes may celebrate cinema, but it has always thrived on a healthy dose of red carpet drama.