From Chloé Zhao’s surreal Schiaparelli suit for Paper Tiger to Bella Hadid’s custom Prada column gown and Salma Hayek’s feathered Gucci by Demna, Cannes 2026 kept insisting—quietly, insistently—that style is another kind of screen. Eight standout looks on the
On the Croisette. cameras don’t just chase what’s on screen—they chase what’s worn while the films are about to begin. At the 79th annual Cannes Film Festival. the red carpet leaned hard into sculptural couture. textural experimentation. and archival-inspired ensembles. where classic glamour and architectural silhouettes shared the same frame.
Chloé Zhao arrived for Cannes with a range of striking choices. but the one that landed most forcefully came with her screening of Paper Tiger. For that moment, she wore Daniel Roseberry’s Schiaparelli Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2026 collection: the ‘Isabella Blowfish’. It was built as a transparent suit reproduced from a puffer fish or blowfish. while referencing fashion icon Isabella Blow through spikes uniquely made from resin-coated organza. The surrealism didn’t stop there. The suit was entirely made from structured tulle designed to retain its shape. with hundreds of layers of transparent illusion tulle stacked behind to create a soft. blurred shadow effect beneath the outer structure.
Bella Hadid treated the carpet like a classic set piece on her first appearance of the year. She wore a custom Prada column gown, finished with a cape and coordinating bomber sleeves. Diamonds from Chopard and white pointed-toe stilettos completed the look. delivering a kind of Old Hollywood refinement—timeless appeal. but engineered for the spotlight.
For Hoyeon, Cannes marked a debut that felt instantly museum-like. She wore a chic antique grey slip dress embroidered throughout with aged silver glass tubes. custom created for her by Nicolas Ghesquière for Louis Vuitton. The ensemble pulled Louis Vuitton’s contemporary silhouettes together with meticulous detailing. turning a first Cannes appearance into a full fashion statement. She finished the look with timeless pieces from the brand’s High Jewellery collection.
Salma Hayek leaned into romance with a sweeping, fully feathered Gucci creation by Demna. A sleek. pulled-back updo kept the face clean and elegant. while statement emerald earrings brought a vivid jewel-toned contrast against the softness of the feathers. Her accessories stayed minimal, letting the sculptural intricacy and boldness of the dress take over.
Alexa Chung brought a quieter kind of impact to the screening of The Man I Love. She wore a custom Dior satin gown designed by Jonathan Anderson, featuring a navy skirt adorned with delicate floral embroidery. Messika jewellery supplied the refined finish. and the overall balance—soft romantic detailing meeting a structured silhouette—made for a restrained but unmistakably striking moment.
Taylor Russell’s look at Cannes leaned into air and fluidity. For her Dior appearance, soft, ethereal draping formed a silhouette that moved with effortless, airy fluidity. The ensemble featured a soft white dress with a green waist accent detail. highlighting structure and texture without turning the design into noise. Russell’s presence has long carried a fashion-forward reputation, and this look kept that momentum intact.
Simone Ashley offered a standout collision of past and present. She wore an Alexander McQueen red strapless gown styled by Rebecca Corbin-Murray from their Autumn/Winter 2005 collection. The piece had been previously worn in 2011 by Gisele Bündchen for the Met Gala. but Ashley reinterpreted it with Chaumet jewellery. The result was an archival gown that didn’t feel dusty—it felt reactivated.
What links these choices isn’t simply high fashion. It’s the way Cannes 2026 turned red-carpet dressing into its own form of storytelling: transparent surrealism beside Old Hollywood polish. antique embroidery under modern couture standards. feathered romance set against jewel contrast. and archival silhouettes reframed for now. On the Croisette, what is worn proved as compelling as what is screened.
Cannes 2026 Cannes Film Festival red carpet couture Schiaparelli Prada Louis Vuitton Gucci Dior Alexander McQueen Chopard diamonds Chaumet jewellery Demna Daniel Roseberry Nicolas Ghesquière Jonathan Anderson Rebecca Corbin-Murray style at Cannes film festival fashion
So the movie festival is basically just people wearing fish suits now? Like what is even happening.
I don’t get it—Cannes used to be about the films. Now it’s like they’re doing fashion commercials on the red carpet. Bella Hadid in Prada with a cape… sure, but did the movies do anything, or is that next week?
Wait, Chloé Zhao wore a “blowfish” thing made of resin organza or whatever and it was connected to her screening of Paper Tiger? Paper Tiger like… the saying about being fake? So the suit was fake too?? I’m confused lol. Also how do you even walk in that without looking ridiculous
Cannes 2026 sounds like it’s trying to turn couture into a movie prop department. Like the whole point is “cameras chase what’s worn while films are about to begin” which is kinda sad if you think about it. The Hoyeon Louis Vuitton antique grey slip with the aged silver glass tubes—ok museum vibes, but doesn’t that scream “I’m uncomfortable the whole time”? Also why is everyone collaborating with the same designers like it’s all one big agreement.