When I first heard about new dress code rules for the Cannes Film Festival red carpet I was very confused. Why would they start a war with hot and beautiful women? Isn’t Cannes historically always been a mix of glamorous actresses, stylish models, and hot girls seeking attention? Was this pay back against the true gay icon and second lead vocalist of Destiny’s Child Kelly Rowland for checking whoever was rushing her on the red carpet last year? I honestly got distracted by a few of the looks to do any further investigation—but that’s actuality really good news. That means despite the fun-hating dress code we still got some beautiful gowns to look at. Looks like hot beautiful women (and Alexander Skarsgård) win again!
Charli xcx in Saint Laurent
This is obviously my favorite look from this entire Cannes Film Festival debacle. If you were to ask me, “Rashida, what do you want to wear to a film festival at a resort town on the French Riviera,” the answer would literally be a custom semi-sheer lilac gown with a huge, oversized matching feather boa designed by Anthony Vaccarello for Saint Laurent. I’m always happy when a fashion house makes a really good custom look for a pop diva. The archive is fabulous, but our divas deserve something fab that’s just for them—so shout out to everyone at Saint Laurent and Charli’s stylist Chris Horan for making this happen. 10/10, zero notes.
Elsa Hosk in Vintage Thierry Mugler Haute Couture
Elsa Hosk looks like a model Thierry Mugler would have put in one of his high-camp, super-glam shows in the ’90s. She has the type of personality and figure to really successfully pull off a look one of the ’90s Supermodels wore at Thierry Mugler’s 1995 anniversary show. Elsa slayed. I enjoy her energy; she seems really into being a fashion diva—we need more of that! I was honestly a little fatigued by all the archive pulls I’ve seen lately, but Elsa really did it how you’re supposed to. 10/10!
Ryan Destiny in Schiaparelli
So I’m putting my stan hat on because I’ve low-key been stanning for Ryan Destiny way before she starred in the now-cancelled Fox television series Star (very prophetic, in my opinion), and she is by far one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen in my life. So imagine how geeked out I was when I found out she was being styled by Law Roach. I had good reasons to be excited, ’cause look how gorge she looks in this chocolate ribbon Fall 2025 Schiaparelli confection. I didn’t even notice how hot this dress was until I actually saw it on Ryan. I have to give her 10s for that.
Isabelle Huppert in Balenciaga
I love Isabelle Huppert because she is a serious actress who wears serious, strict clothes for the most part. So her being in Demna-era Balenciaga couture just feels very correct, and I’m going to miss seeing these looks pop up on celebrities at events like this. No one else is going to have very respectable actresses wearing fringe neon-green gowns with matching pantaleggings. I’m obsessed with how nuts this outfit is—’cause how do you make an outfit that looks like it’s made out of neon-green kanekalon braiding hair look this chic? She tore that up something crazy, I’m sorry. 10/10.
Alia Bhatt in Gucci
I saw Alia Bhatt wearing a fab Schiaparelli gown at the screening of The Mastermind on Friday, so I had already been put on notice that she was one to watch. I was expecting to see her show up in something cute, but I really wasn’t expecting the look she showed up at the closing ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival. Getting Gucci to make you a custom saree that’s embroidered with crystals in a GG monogram pattern is very fashion icon-like behavior. That’s the level of glamour I need from the girls. Perfect. 10/10.
Juliette Binoche in Courrèges
This is very sexy without being off-putting. It’s really hard to serve full-leather dominatrix vibes and not come off like a total pervert. You want to be sexy, yes, but not in a try-hard, cheap, internet way. Like those cheap pleather outfits people buy off Amazon to go to lame raves that play bad music. That’s the exact opposite of what’s going on here. Courrèges has managed to successfully make faux leather look beautiful and chic in a way that would let Juliette Binoche get into Berghain with no questions asked.
Simone Ashley in Vivienne Westwood
Maybe we’ve all seen billions of women in Vivienne Westwood corset gowns, and sure, I can see how you might not get why I’m going so crazy over this. We have never seen Simone Ashley in THIS particularly gaggy, white Vivienne Westwood corset gown. She’s not like y’all—she’s different. Simone is serving in hers from the Spring 2025 Mumbai show. The lack of jewelry works here; I’d normally complain about that, but she doesn’t need it—it would actually distract from her beauty. Simone carried.
Cate Blanchett in Louis Vuitton
You can tell Nicolas Ghesquière REALLY loves Cate Blanchett—he always gives her the best looks. This gown is no exception. It’s just so aggressively chic and glamorous for no reason. This moment is just as good as the dress Ghesquière designed for her when he was at Balenciaga for the 2007 Met Gala. Loved seeing two of my favs collab and once again give us another fashion moment that wasn’t a dress that’s been sitting on 1stDibs for years.
Araya Hargate in Armani Privé
I feel like we as a community of tasteful fashion divas haven’t been celebrating how good the couture Mr. Armani has been putting out consistently, without a single dip in quality. Not a lot of designers can say that. So I was very pleased to see the girls come out in their finest couture Armani Privé ensembles at Cannes. I didn’t know who Araya Hargate was until I saw her pop up in this fab look from Armani’s haute couture collection—like, what a fun way to be introduced to someone! I looked her up, and she’s always one of the best dressed at Cannes. The Boucheron necklace was also very tea. That necklace alone kinda deserves a follow from me if I’m being real.
Alexander Skarsgård in Saint Laurent
You know I love when men get “freaky” on the red carpet and just really go for it, so when I saw Alexander Skarsgård running around the Cannes Film Festival looking like he was promoting a Tom of Finland biopic, I didn’t question it at all. I was too busy enjoying the fashion. He is promoting a movie that involves gay BDSM and a Prince Albert-pierced prosthetic, so he’s doing his version of Margot Robbie’s Barbie press tour—and he’s taking it there, honey. My favorite look was, of course, the Saint Laurent tuxedo moment with the kinky over-the-knee leather boots. That was very classy and gay, in the best way possible. Skarsgård had the most slays out of everyone, in my opinion—I’m fully on this journey with him. 10/10.