Nudity, ‘voluminous’ outfits banned on Cannes red carpet
The Cannes Film Festival has officially updated its dress code to ban full nudity and “excessively voluminous” outfits on the red carpet, aligning its policies with French law and longstanding festival protocol.
The announcement comes after past red carpet incidents, including a topless protestor in 2022 and Bianca Censori’s transparent dress at the Grammys earlier this year, according to Variety.
The festival clarified that the move is part of an effort to reinforce rules already in place.
“This year, the Cannes Film Festival has made explicit in its charter certain rules that have long been in effect. The aim is not to regulate attire per se, but to prohibit full nudity on the red carpet, in accordance with the institutional framework of the event and French law,” the festival stated.
Further, the guidelines mention that Cannes “reserves the right to deny access to individuals whose attire could obstruct the movement of other guests or complicate seating arrangements in the screening rooms.”
While it remains unclear whether medium-sized gowns like Greta Gerwig’s Barbie-pink dress with a modest train would be restricted, larger trains have reportedly created congestion on the Palais steps and raised safety concerns.
Cannes has previously sparked debate over its dress code. The requirement to wear “elegant” footwear for evening screenings was criticised for its apparent bias towards high heels — a point of contention among women guests.
Although low heels are now generally allowed, sneakers remain frowned upon.
In 2022, an Indigenous producer was reportedly turned away for wearing moccasins, reigniting concerns over cultural insensitivity and outdated norms at one of the film world’s most prestigious events.
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