Isabelle Huppert is cinema’s queen of cool. That is to say, since making her big screen debut in the 70s, the French film actress has become renowned for playing cold, severe, and, oftentimes, transgressive women. Think Loulou’s adulterous Nelly, Haneke’s ascetic lead in The Piano Teacher, Elle’s nerveless Michèle, or the fierce Emma in Madame Bovary.
Isabelle approaches her performances with fearlessness. And she brings the same energy to her personal style, too. Five decades ago, the actress dressed the part of the garçonne in spartan suiting and pared back separates. Today, she’s one of Balenciaga’s primo muses, wearing the label’s subversive fare — tinsel-spangled gowns and pantashoe ensembles — with all the self-assuredness that comes with being one of international cinema’s most charismatic stars. Following Sidonie in Japan’s Venice film festival premiere, we look back at the actress’s most iconic outfits, from the 70s to last week!
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At Cannes Film Festival, 1976
Sure, Isabelle’s known for her hard-edged performances, but that doesn’t mean she never embraced a little sartorial softness. Back in the 70s, the actress’s Cannes style was all about floaty, flouncy frocks, like this frilly lace confection, worn to the film festival’s 29th iteration.
In Paris, 1978
Back in Paris, Isabelle exchanged prairie dresses for suiting, adopting a pared-back take on the 70s androgynous garçonne uniform. Here, the actress strolls the streets wearing one of her hallmark tweed blazers and scoop neck tops. Today, the look remains one of her signatures, right down to the skinny scarf.
At Cannes Film Festival, 2001
Isabelle knows how to make a red-carpet statement — literally. At The Piano Teacher’s Cannes premiere, the actress accessorised her LBD with permanent marker. Translated from French, the quote scrawled across her arms and back read: “God can thank Bach because Bach is the proof of the existence of God.” Iconic.
At Cannes Film Festival, 2021
Welcome to Isabelle’s Balenciaga era. The actress’s relationship with Demna’s Balenciaga began in June 2021, when the actress was tapped to walk in the brand’s SS22 red carpet runway show. The following month, Isabelle stepped onto the real red carpet (at Cannes) in one of the week’s most buzzworthy looks: a Vantablack-cool pantashoe ensemble that proved the unexpected pairing was actually a match made in fashion heaven.
At the Met Gala, 2021
Not a month after her buzzy Balenciaga-at-Cannes moment, Isabelle was unveiled as the face of the house’s new AW21 campaign. Not long after, the actress walked the Met Gala carpet wearing one of the collection’s most striking looks: a flaming velvet column gown with cake-tier train.
At Cannes Film Festival, 2023
Talk about a naked dress! In 2023, Isabelle stepped onto the Cannes carpet in one of her most provocative looks to date: a sheer lace gown and barefoot-illusion pantashoes — the new weird shoe is no shoe, after all! — from Balenciaga’s AW23 collection.
At Venice Film Festival, 2023
Isabelle is one of international cinema’s brightest stars. And this tinsel-spangled Balenciaga gown, worn in Venice earlier this month, embodies that truism to a tee.