The 78th Cannes Film Festival tries a dress code. The stars say: Cute, but no

The red carpet’s been steam-cleaned, the Riviera’s in bloom — and Cannes has delivered its most dramatic twist yet. No, not the Palme d’Or presented to Robert De Niro, but a fashion clampdown. Just a day before the 78th edition of the world’s glitziest film festival kicked off, organisers rolled out a revised red carpet dress code. The headline? Nudity and voluminous gowns are officially banned. “For decency reasons,” they said. But as Cannes attendees always do, they have responded with a shrug — and a slit and a train.

Cue Bella Hadid, high priestess of red-carpet subversion, who sauntered into opening night in a custom Saint Laurent number so slinky it whispered rule-bending sophistication. With a slit up to there and an open back, it was less about flashing skin and more about issuing a polite but pointed shrug. Rebel, but make it French.

Heidi Klum, too, ignored the no-train diktat in a dreamy Elie Saab gown that floated up the Palais steps — twice, no less: once in metallics, and again in sequins. Security said nothing. Cameras clicked wildly. As ever at Cannes, rules aren’t so much enforced as elegantly side-stepped.

Others played the game — sort of. Jury member Halle Berry opted for a covered-up striped Jacquemus dress, but raised a brow while doing so. “I had a Gaurav Gupta dress I couldn’t wear because of the train,” she told a media house, adding that she didn’t want to cause a scene. (A noble sentiment, though her sheer MET Gala gown last week suggests she’s hardly a prudish dresser.)

Still, the tension is palpable. Will someone test the full-nudity clause by the week’s end? Avengers: Infinty War actress Pom Klementieff’s barely-there LOEWE gown gave it a nudge. So far, no arrests. Yet. Plus, there are a plethora of attendees who did not care enough to speed-dial their stylists and reached the red carpet with their long trains.

Cannes’s rocky relationship with red-carpet policing is nothing new. In 2015, women were reportedly turned away for wearing flats. Kristen Stewart famously ripped off her heels in protest. Julia Roberts went barefoot. Sharon Stone once rocked an open shirt and a stare that said, “Do try me.” The result? The most iconic carpet moments in fashion history. Not in spite of the rules — but because of them.

This year’s crackdown claims to be logistical — trains apparently block traffic — and legal, with French public nudity laws cited. But fashion insiders are unconvinced. Stylist Karla Welch called the ban “boring, patriarchal and lame”. Netizens say it’s an attempt to neuter the very subversiveness that makes Cannes style legendary.

The rule reads: “For decency reasons, nudity is prohibited on the red carpet, as well as in any other area of the festival. Voluminous outfits, in particular those with a large train, that hinder the proper flow of traffic of guests and complicate seating in the theatre are not permitted.”

Cannes has developed a dual identity over the years: it’s as much about the photo-ops as the premieres. Just like most other premieres across the world, there’s a runway moment on the red steps. Chopard hosts jewellery galas. Dior and Versace fight to dress the biggest names. This isn’t fashion vs film — it’s fashion as film.

And if past years have taught us anything, it’s that Cannes doesn’t end with an acceptance speech. It ends with a slit, a flashbulb, and a perfectly timed hair toss. So buckle up. The rules may be written, but the script is still being rewritten — in sequins, silk and defiance.