Lights, Camera, Fashion: The Glamour of the Cannes Film Festival

By Briana J.

On May 14, 2024, the 77th Cannes Film Festival will begin in the French Riviera. Since 1946, the Cannes Film Festival has been one of the premiere film festivals that showcase the world’s highest caliber of film excellence. Along with the Venice Film Festival and the Berlin International Film Festival, Cannes is an excellent way to check the temperature of European and global cinema and promote film as a true art form. From prestigious competition awards like the Palme d’Or to highly anticipated photo calls and press conferences, the Cannes Film Festival is an icon at the crossroads of celebrity, film, and fashion.

On the red carpet, celebrities and fashion designers pay homage to fashion’s past, present, and future. Inspiration is drawn from classic Hollywood celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe, Gene Kelly, Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni, Jean-Paul Belmondo, and Anna Karina. In 1991, Madonna sported a bustier bra made by Jean-Paul Gaultier in one of Cannes’ most infamous style moments. Modern styles are also embraced by fashion darlings like Bella Hadid, Lady Gaga, and Elle Fanning. These days, it seems like the Cannes Film Festival is just as known for its glamour and fashion as it is for it being prestigious film showcase. A big part of this is because Cannes leverages its celebrity red carpet draw to boost publicity for the festival.

The luxury brand, Chopard has been one of the official partners of the Cannes Film Festival since 1998. In addition to crafting the legendary Palme d’Or and closing ceremony trophies, Chopard also honors the promising careers of a young actor and actress with its prestigious Trophée Chopard. Year after year, Chopard presents a Red Carpet Collection along with the Cannes festival to be showcased along with the celebrities attending the festival.

For fashion houses like Chanel, Dior, Versace, and Alexander McQueen, Cannes offers an opportunity to dress A-list celebrities in custom-made gowns. The legendary Cannes steps, Les marches du Palais lead to the Palais des Festival at the Louis Lumière Auditorium and have been immortalized in paparazzi photos of silver screen stars having their picture-perfect moment. Extra care is taken to craft these red carpet moments so that the clothes tell a story of elegance, style, and craftsmanship.

Beyond the red carpet are luxury events like a Cartier party, designer fragrance launch, or one of the many yacht events. Most notable is the annual AmfAR Gala that raises funds for AIDS research. The event features a cocktail reception, dinner, and live auction, as well as performances by top musical acts. Street style is just as important as the red carpet fashion from the moment stars arrive at the airport in Nice, France. Stylists prepare for a week of events that sometimes only feature their client at a photo call, press conference, or walking around Cannes to go to lunch. The South of France is noted for its chic yet laissez-faire approach to style. It’s glamorous, and expensive, and promotes an aspirational lifestyle filled with champagne and sunshine.

From a publicity perspective, it’s no accident that the glitz and glamour are a major part of the Cannes Film Festival. Photographers and the press flood the city to get a picture of celebrities, designers, auteurs, athletes, billionaires, and royals. The paparazzi element comes with the territory. The right photo can go viral and become the shot of the whole festival. The event brings about 2300 new jobs and boasts roughly $250 million in revenue for twelve days. During this time the city’s population grows from 74,000 to over 200,000 people. It offers the South of France a major economic boom just before the summer tourism season.

While art films, auteurs, and celebrities are honored with prestigious awards here and abroad at other events like the Oscars, no other film festival or awards ceremony holds a candle to Cannes. The relationship between the festival, the city of Cannes, the press, the celebrities, and the mythology of glitz and glamour makes it the most iconic figure in cinema and fashion.