The Tamesis
Last weekend, the 2026 Cannes Film Festival came to an end. Jordan Forstmann’s directorial debut club boy, Quickly becoming the hot favorite of the week, it sold to A24 for $17 million after a fierce bidding war. Meanwhile, on the red carpet, stars maintained their elegance and glamor by adhering to the famously strict dress code. Celebrities from jury members Demi Moore and Ruth Negga to eternal rule-breaker Kristen Stewart showed off their sartorial skills in custom-made pieces and runway-fresh looks from fashion’s biggest names. The red carpet is a great opportunity for designers to amplify the impact of their shows, but has seasonal dressing returned to the spotlight, replacing the archival craze of recent years? Looking at Cannes this year, that was certainly the case.
The Cannes red carpet has always been glitzy, including the best vintage looks. Past festivals have been filled with famous examples, including Amal Clooney in Dior by John Galliano, Naomi Campbell in a 1997 Chanel striped couture dress, and Simone Ashley in a 2000 Alexander McQueen Spring floral suits, Rooney Mara in a 1956 Givenchy teacup dress, and Bella Hadid in enviable vintage styles, from Jean Paul Gaultier to Tom Ford-era Gucci. While Ashley and Hadid kept up their retro style this year, there was a noticeable reduction in archival dressing across the board. Interestingly, in its place came a series of remakes. Hadid’s crocheted Schiaparelli paid homage to Jane Birkin’s backwards Pucci dress, while Anastasia Andrushkevich’s blue chiffon gown recreated Princess Diana’s famous look from 1987.
“I think Cannes is becoming more and more associated with luxury brand partners and ambassador dressing,” Stewart’s stylist Tara Swennen told us Fashion. In many ways, awards season and film festivals have become their own microeconomy, with all the new creative directors showing off their debut and sophomore runways to actors. Take the Oscars, for example, which have quickly become one of the biggest deals nights in fashion. However, the most stylish clients know how to strike a balance that includes respecting the brand, dressing for the event, and wanting to express themselves, with the latter becoming the most important factor in needing to stand out.
