In 2025, the Cannes Film Festival, one of the world’s premier cultural events, has tightened its rules: both “naked” and voluminous dresses are now officially banned on the red carpet. Organizers cite “decency” and logistical concerns, but as BBC and journalist Ellie Violet Bramley suggest, the move reflects deeper tensions — between aesthetics, politics, and female bodily autonomy.
“For reasons of decency, nudity is prohibited on the red carpet, as well as in any other area of the festival,” the organizers officially announced.
The decision struck a chord, given how sheer and revealing outfits have become a mainstay of red carpets worldwide. Just last year, supermodel Bella Hadid made headlines in a Saint Laurent halter dress made of 10-denier fabric. Other stars like Naomi Campbell, Kendall Jenner, and Isabelle Huppert have all embraced this oxymoronic trend in the past.
Many saw Cannes’ new rules as part of a broader wave of cultural conservatism. The popular fashion account Boring Not Com dryly commented:
“God forbid someone shows a nipple. The quiet return of conservatism is real.”
The timing is especially charged, considering the ongoing global debates about women’s rights. For some, such as actress Rose McGowan, so-called “naked dressing” is not about provocation, but power and freedom. At the same time, many critics have pointed out glaring double standards:
“Bare skin is banned on the carpet, yet once inside, it’s right there on the screen. Almost always female, of course,” Boring Not Com noted.
Cannes has a history of controversial dress code enforcement. Back in 2015, the festival turned women away for wearing flats. And let’s not forget it still welcomes Roman Polanski, a fugitive from U.S. justice over the rape of a minor.
Interestingly, the ban targets not only revealing outfits but also large gowns with dramatic trains, which organizers claim impede guest flow and complicate seating in theaters. This raises a philosophical question: what, ultimately, is the red carpet for?
Since Joan Rivers first famously asked, “Who are you wearing?” at the 1994 Golden Globes, red carpets have become competitive arenas for stylists, designers, and branding. Events like the Met Gala turn fashion into performance. Cannes, however, has traditionally positioned itself differently. As The Guardian reported, financial pressures are far lower at Cannes than at American awards shows, where stars are paid $100,000 or more to wear specific designers. In Cannes, there’s less pressure — and more fashion freedom.
“For many, the fashion is more important than the films themselves. And for a festival that prides itself on being about cinema, that must sting,” writes the BBC.
The announcement came just one day before the festival opened — despite months of wardrobe planning. Fashion writer Louis Pisano wrote on Instagram:
“Thoughts and prayers to all the stylists.”
Stylist Besovic added:
“It’s a low blow. It shows how little you respect the people attending your festival… especially the stylists. Couldn’t you have announced this two months ago?”
According to reports, actress Halle Berry had to drop a planned outfit due to its voluminous train.
“I had to make a pivot. But the nudity part I do think is probably also a good rule,” she commented.
For some, the rule against big trains makes more sense than the one against skin. Speaking to Vogue Business, Cannes veteran Pisano said recent years have seen the red carpet flooded with influencers intentionally wearing “the craziest, most insane, biggest thing they can find… They take up the most space on the red carpet,” all while thousands of guests are trying to enter the cinema.
Cannes has a history of policing such disruptions. In 2018, artistic director Thierry Frémaux banned selfies, telling Le Film Français magazine that they slow things down and “tarnish the quality of the red-carpet experience.”
The festival has stated that welcoming teams are “obligated to prohibit red-carpet access to anyone not respecting these rules.” But history shows that enforcement is often inconsistent. In 1953, Pablo Picasso was allowed to wear a sheepskin coat, while a journalist was turned away for breaking the dress code. In 1960, writer Henry Miller, a jury member, was denied entry for refusing to wear a dinner jacket.
There’s also a certain theatricality to the whole thing. The fact that these guidelines are outlined proudly on the official festival site suggests Cannes is not above enjoying a little controversy around its dress code. As Style Not Come cheekily observed:
“Rumor has it, it won’t apply to the real stars of the carpet. The models and brand ambassadors who show up for the photo op, skip the screening, and slip out the back. Which, let’s be honest, is most of them.”
It’s more likely that lesser-known influencers — wearing dresses the size of Citroën cars — will be quietly shown the exit.
If history has taught us anything, it’s that those who defy strict dress codes often win public admiration. Julia Roberts went barefoot in 2016, the year after flats were banned — and Vanity Fair promptly dubbed her “America’s sweetheart.” In 2018, Kristen Stewart kicked off her Louboutins on the red carpet, having previously told The Hollywood Reporter:
“If you’re not asking guys to wear heels and a dress, you cannot ask me either.”
Will those who dare to “free the nipple” in 2025 — and get away with it — earn similar praise? That remains to be seen. But ironically, it may be this push to restrict expression that turns the red carpet, once again, into a symbol of freedom — whether Cannes intended it or not.
This article was prepared based on materials published by BBC. The author does not claim authorship of the original text but presents their interpretation of the content for informational purposes.
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