There’s glamour, there’s cinema—and then there’s the Cannes red carpet, where fashion has long been a performance of its own. But with the 2025 festival clamping down on so-called “nudity”, long trains, and exaggerated silhouettes, the Croisette feels a little less wild this year. Which is why it’s the perfect time to revisit the glorious mischief-makers of Cannes past — the artists, actors and pop provocateurs who turned fashion faux pas into high art, and red carpet rebellion into cinematic legend.
In Cannes, fashion rules were made to be broken—and some did it with legendary flair.
Back in 1953, Pablo Picasso rocked up to a screening of The Wages of Fear in a shearling coat tossed over a corduroy tuxedo — because why wouldn’t one of the 20th century’s most prolific artists dress like he was off to a rustic pub instead of Europe’s most prestigious film festival? It was rebellious, rugged, and entirely Picasso. The man had no time for black-tie conformity.
By 1960, literary rebel Henry Miller gave a big Gallic shrug to tuxedos. As a Cannes juror, he refused to don a dinner jacket and was promptly barred from screenings. Did he care? Not one bit. In fact, his rogue vote helped La Dolce Vita snag the Palme d’Or. Who needs a bowtie when you’ve got artistic taste?
Fast forward to 1988, and things got positively scandalous. talian porn star and provocateur Cicciolina turned the red carpet into a flesh-forward runway with a sheer cut-out “dress” and a Popple toy in hand. Who needs accessories when your entire outfit is NSFW? Cannes may have a thing for French lace, but this was lace with no boundaries.
Then came the queen of reinvention—Madonna, naturally. In 1991, she ditched all subtlety and arrived in a hot pink robe, which she whipped off halfway up the Palais steps to reveal a Gaultier cone bra and garters. It was a moment that screamed, “I’m here, I’m bold, and you will look.” Who needs an evening gown when you’ve got lingerie and a camera flash?
Pamela Anderson brought Baywatch to the Boulevard in 1994. Ditching all pretence of Old Hollywood glamour, she showed up for the Barb Wire premiere in a slinky, skin-tight look that was more Malibu party than Croisette couture. Critics were scandalised. Naturally, the cameras couldn’t get enough.
In 1997, Milla Jovovich turned up in literal warrior couture. For The Fifth Element, she wore a beaded John Galliano number that barely qualified as a dress. It was futuristic, fierce, and just one strategic gust of wind away from full exposure. The Croisette had never seen such intergalactic glamour.
Spanish icon Victoria Abril also broke the mould in ’97 with a blazer — sans shirt. Think: tailoring meets topless. Risky? Très. Daring? Absolutely. Her look walked the line between androgyny and audacity, and Cannes just had to deal with it.
Fast forward to 2011, and Uma Thurman made headlines — for her feet. Specifically, the fact that they were not in sky-high heels. Instead, she wore strappy flat sandals with her gown — flouting the no-flats rule with the elegance of a woman who knows that bunions don’t go with ballgowns.
Kristen Stewart took the barefoot baton in 2018. Halfway through the BlacKkKlansman premiere, she ditched her Louboutins and walked barefoot. The act felt less like a rebellion and more like a liberating shrug. “Shoes? Over it,” her toes seemed to say.
And then there’s Jennifer Lawrence, who brought chaos in couture. In 2023, she rocked Dior with… flip-flops. Not designer flats, not embellished sandal — basic beach flip-flops. She later claimed her shoes were “a size too big” but come on, Jen. That was Cannes’s most relatable rebellion yet.
The latest rebel – Bella Hadid. At the 2024 premiere of The Apprentice, Bella Hadid turned heads in a sheer Saint Laurent gown that left little to the imagination. The ruffled tulle number, perfectly on trend, floated around her like a sultry cloud. X and Instagram couldn’t stop sharing pictures of the daring yet sleek look.
With the 2025 red carpet now cracking down on nudity, trains, and “unseemly” silhouettes, one has to wonder—where’s the fun in that?
Rules may be in place, but Cannes has always been about cinematic risk and red carpet anarchy. So here’s to the ones who went rogue in stilettos, went barefoot in gowns, and made naked dresses a trend. Let’s hope this year’s rebels are already plotting their grand entrance.