CANNES FILM FESTIVAL 2025 AND THE NAKED TRUTH ABOUT DRESS CODES
words by NATALIE GAL
editor MAREK BARTEK
The Cannes Film Festival has always been more than just a celebration of cinema – it’s a global spectacle, a place where careers are born and legends are made. An unknown actress might arrive at the start of the night and step out of the cinema as a star, just as easily as an icon might walk the same carpet and leave forgotten, outshone by the new faces of the new era.
Elizabeth Taylor and Ehemann Michael Todd at Cannes in 1957 ullstein bild/ullstein bild via Getty Images
As Brigitte Bardot once recalled, “The first time that I came to Cannes, I think it was in 1953. I was 18 and unknown.” She would soon become one of the most defining beauty symbols in film history – a cultural reference and an undisputed icon of style and sensuality.
Today, however, the festival finds itself at the centre of a different kind of conversation. A newly imposed dress code – banning so-called “naked dresses” and oversized outfits – has ignited a wave of controversy, raising questions about censorship, self-expression, and conservatism.
Can banning in fashion ever be beneficial, or is it inherently restrictive?
Do the outfits make the event, or does the event shape what we wear?
Is “naked dressing” a celebration of the body, or is it a step too far?
Is nudity truly a form of disrespect, or is it simply misunderstood?
Once a platform for artistic expression and experimentation, Cannes struggles with the tension between tradition and transformation on the world’s most-watched red carpet.
Mirrorpix/Getty Images
But to truly understand what is happening, we must first examine the details of the dress code itself. According to the official statement, "For decency reasons, nudity is prohibited on the Red Carpet, as well as in any other area of the Festival." Additionally, "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."
This is not the first time Cannes has sparked controversy with its red carpet dress codes. In 2015, the festival faced backlash for reportedly banning flat shoes for women – a rule that prompted Julia Roberts to make a powerful statement by walking the carpet barefoot, and led Kristen Stewart to remark, “I feel like you can't ask people that any more, it's a given. If you're not asking guys to wear heels and a dress, you cannot ask me either.”
While the new restriction on oversized outfits may stem from legitimate logistical concerns, particularly at an event as meticulously orchestrated as Cannes, the more provocative element lies in the festival’s newly emphasised “decency” clause. It raises deeper questions about autonomy and expression, simply, who defines what is deemed appropriate?
The concept of banning in fashion is inherently complex and often controversial. In an art form whose very essence is self-expression and individuality, any restriction that aims to suppress these qualities risks becoming not only backwards but incompatible with the purpose of fashion itself. When a ban’s goal is to contain sensuality or creative freedom, it becomes an act of censorship, not curation.
To understand this more clearly, let’s turn to history. In the 1950s, the bikini was considered scandalous – more than just indecent, it was seen as provocative. The idea of revealing the female body in such frontal totality was shocking to many. But its eventual embrace was rooted in liberation. Diana Vreeland, who would later become editor-in-chief of Vogue in 1963, famously declared it “the most important thing since the atom bomb”. Before that, women’s swimwear was not only restrictive in design but also in ideology. It begged the question: why must the female body be hidden or regulated? Looking back, it’s clear that attempts to ban or suppress the representation of the female body were not only misguided but ultimately ineffective.
Kirk Douglas and Brigitte Bardot in 1953. Bettmann
What makes the story even more ironic is how the Cannes Film Festival helped put the bikini in the spotlight. Brigitte Bardot’s 1952 film "Manina, The Girl in the Bikini" was smartly promoted with photos of her on the sunny beaches of the South of France. Those photos helped the bikini catch on and become more widely accepted.
So, can a ban ever be good? Yes – but only when its purpose is to protect, not to restrain. Think of the banning of toxic materials or the condemnation of forced labour. These prohibitions don’t suppress creativity; they uphold ethical standards and make fashion more just. The line between oppression and progress lies in intent and impact.
It’s also worth examining the nuanced difference between obscene nudity and what might be called elegant sensuality. In recent years, we haven’t witnessed chaos on the carpet – we’ve seen fashion at its most astonishing. Think of Bella Hadid’s unforgettable appearance in a Schiaparelli gown in 2021, or her 2024 look: provocative, yes, but never vulgar. These were moments of daring design in dialogue with art, not departures from it or remarks against it.
image Getty Images
It’s striking how quickly attention shifts away from the deeper, long-standing issues surrounding the festival. According to a 2019 BBC article, “just 86 movies by female directors have ever been in competition for the festival's main prize, compared with more than 1,650 films by male directors.” This imbalance reveals a persistent gender bias that has troubled Cannes and the dialogue surrounding it for decades. Instead of regulating the elegantly crafted outfits worn by the icons of the industry, the conversation might be better directed toward creating space for the individuals who remain underrepresented on screen.
While the festival may wish to highlight the art of cinema over the spectacle of red carpet fashion, there’s an undeniable irony: it is now the restriction of clothing that captures the most attention. Ultimately, fashion has always been an inherent part of film and its industry, not a distraction.
