The 30 Best Cannes Film Festival Looks of All Time

There are very few red carpets that rival Cannes Film Festival. Some of our favorite fashion moments come out of the weeklong event, which is a telling sign of how important fashion is, no matter the central focus. Located on the French Riviera, Cannes serves as an annual celebration of independent cinema that was first conceived in 1939 ‌as an alternative to Venice’s festival. It officially began post–World War II in 1946.

Now it is the world’s largest film festival, bringing all of our favorite stars together. What makes Cannes a fashion must-see is its very strict rules for the red carpet that fell in line with the luxury resort standards nearby.

The rules are: no shorts, high heels only, short skirts not preferred, and, as of last year, no nudity or voluminous trains. This year, those last two rules have not been explicitly restated, but black-tie dress code is a mandate.

No matter the rules, the iconic red carpet steps have been and will continue to be a place for fashion darlings to peacock. From Madonna wearing a Jean Paul Gaultier cone bra in 1991 to Kristen Stewart taking off her Christian Louboutin stilettos to walk the carpet barefoot in 2018, and Bella Hadid’s several sheer or incredibly naked looks, there are so many iconic and rule-breaking fashion moments from the French film festival.

Below, peruse a timeline of the most incredible Cannes Film Festival looks of all time.