Heidi, Yseult, Diane: Best and worst dressed at the Cannes Film Festival

From standing ovations to dumbstruck silence, see who took on the red carpet at the film festival and lived to tell the sartorial tale

19 May 2025 - 16:23
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Fashion looks from the first week of the Cannes Film Festival.
Fashion looks from the first week of the Cannes Film Festival.
Image: Sarah Meysonnier, Tristan Fewings/Getty Images

BEST 

HEIDI KLUM

Heidi Klum poses on the red carpet during arrivals for the opening ceremony and screening of the film "Partir un jour" (Leave One Day) at the 78th Cannes Film Festival.
Heidi Klum poses on the red carpet during arrivals for the opening ceremony and screening of the film "Partir un jour" (Leave One Day) at the 78th Cannes Film Festival.
Image: REUTERS/Manon Cruz

If you’re going to break the rules, you might as well look fabulous while you’re at it. With Cannes organisers calling for less-revealing outfits and oversized gowns, Klum went for a dreamy Ellie Saab gown with flower-petal details. The dramatic train, high slit and minimal accessories achieved a laid-back beauty look.

ANDIE MACDOWELL

Andie MacDowell poses on the red carpet during arrivals for the screening of the film "Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning" at the 78th Cannes Film Festival.
Andie MacDowell poses on the red carpet during arrivals for the screening of the film "Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning" at the 78th Cannes Film Festival.
Image: REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier

No stranger to turning heads at Cannes, MacDowell stunned in a smoking all-black tuxedo ensemble. The wide-leg trousers helps highlight the cinched waist and glittering silver heels, with her grey hair pulled back with a boyish, side-sweep bang. 

WAN QIANHUI

Actress and model Wan Qianhui arrives on the red carpet.
Actress and model Wan Qianhui arrives on the red carpet.
Image: Monica Schipper/Getty Images

The actress was on cloud 9 with her puffy cloud-like dress. The strapless bodice in a softer silk texture shines, while her bare neck highlights the dangling silver earrings she wore.

YSEULT

Model, Yseult in Givenchy.
Model, Yseult in Givenchy.
Image: Monica Schipper/Getty Images

A lover of classic outfits when attending Cannes, Yseult was breathtaking in an elegant black and white gown, featuring a tailored black cape finished with a matching train. For accessories, she went for leather opera gloves — to avoid a monotonous look — topped with diamond wristbands that matched her giant neck piece.

HALLE BERRY

Jury member Halle Berry on the Cannes red carpet.
Jury member Halle Berry on the Cannes red carpet.
Image: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
Halle Berry's last-minute Jacquemus dress.
Halle Berry's last-minute Jacquemus dress.
Image: Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images

The internet was buzzing when Cannes 2025 jury member Berry revealed she made a last-minute change for her red carpet outfits. The debut look was a black and white striped maxi dress from Jacquemus, rather than the Guaurav Gupta outfit that would have been deemed too voluminous. Perhaps as a cheeky option, Berry rocked the gown, featuring a cropped train stuffed with tulle to give it body, as seen at the designer’s spring 2025 runway show.

MITCHELL AKAT MARUKO RAAN

Mitchell Akat Maruko Raan in Hervey Cenit.
Mitchell Akat Maruko Raan in Hervey Cenit.
Image: Tristan Fewings/Getty Images

She rocked up as Medusa in 2024, but this year sported a head-to-toe, leopard-print catsuit. Merging with her invisible heels, the look also features a dazzling top with the same effect — and a leopard head protruding from her bust. Chunky gold accessories helped finish the daring look, while an unpredictable approach was taken with her makeup, as seen with the skin-tone matching lipstick.

WORST

DIANE KRUGER

Diane Kruger attends the "Dossier 137" premier.
Diane Kruger attends the "Dossier 137" premier.
Image: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images

At first sight, one can best assume Kruger was without options, after the last-minute ban Cannes oranisers placed on revealing or voluminous looks. However, this outfit certainly looks like the one she was intending to wear.

Let’s start with the reflective blue, sequin gown, with a matching floor-length shawl and feather trimmings. To make it worse, the outfit features a white inlay at her bust that mimics a loop neck. It also matches the bulky headscarf, which nods at Old Hollywood fashion, but falls flat due to it having too many elements.

STEPHEN PAREZ-EDO MARTIN

French sevens rugby player, Stephen Parez-Edo Martin.
French sevens rugby player, Stephen Parez-Edo Martin.
Image: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images

Martin is not the first sports star to attend a red carpet at Cannes, and there's just no reason he chose this disappointing getup — which was all about his medal and had nothing to do with the style expected of him on the day.

EMMA STONE

Emma Stone at Cannes Film Festival.
Emma Stone at Cannes Film Festival.
Image: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images

The nude dress is not the best option for Stone's pale skin tone. Especially with the dull column dress that dominates the look — which is made worse by the bib that she could have asked the Louis Vuitton team to remove.

KATYA MTSITOURIDZE 

Russian television presenter, Katya Mtsitouridze.
Russian television presenter, Katya Mtsitouridze.
Image: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

While Mtsitouridze looks stunning in her metallic two-piece outfit, it’s a dated Balmain look that would best work for the MTV VMAs or other social awards.

VICTORIA SILVSTEDT

Victoria Silvstedt attends the "Sirât" red carpet.
Victoria Silvstedt attends the "Sirât" red carpet.
Image: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

Silvstedt was going for a princess look, but seems to have pulled off an evil stepsister level of gauche. From the tonal colour blocking to the clumsily employed floral appliqué effect, the gown was better off for a child actress — who would have paired it playfully.

ALEXANDER SKARSGÅRD

Alexander Skarsgård goes kinky at Cannes.
Alexander Skarsgård goes kinky at Cannes.
Image: Tristan Fewings

As part of his new fashion relationship with Saint Laurent, Skarsgård has leaned into a risqué take on fashion. The look is taken from the house’s 2025 men’s fall show, which featured numerous kinky elements, as seen with Skarsgård’s look. While the concept worked on the runway, it translated as biking shoes that Skarsgård had forgotten to take off.


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