Cannes introduces strict dress code for festival guests. No more provocation and nudity

The Cannes Film Festival has announced official dress code guidelines – surprisingly strict ones. “In the interests of maintaining decency, nudity is prohibited on the red carpet and at other festival locations,” reads a statement published on the event’s website. Guests are advised to dress in a restrained, classic European style.

On Tuesday, May 13, 2025, this year's edition of the Cannes Film Festival will begin, one of the most prestigious events in the film industry - not only in Europe, but also in the world. The festival will be inaugurated at the Grand Théâtre Lumière with a grand opening ceremony hosted by French actor and screenwriter Laurent Lafitte . On that day, Robert De Niro will receive the Honorary Palme d'Or for lifetime achievement .

The international jury consisting of Halle Berry, Jeremy Strong, Carlos Reygadas, Alba Rohrwacher, Leïla Slimani, Payal Kapadia, Dieudo Hamadi and Hong Sang-soo will decide which film will win the coveted trophy. The head of the jury for the main competition will be Hollywood star Juliette Binoche, who comes from the country on the Seine.

The Cannes festival will probably attract the cream of the crop to the French Riviera, as it does every year, and the media will analyze not only the productions competing for awards, but also the stars' creations presented on the red carpet. In the meantime, the event organizers decided to sensitize invited guests to be guided by the principles of timeless elegance and common sense moderation when choosing their outfits.

- In the interests of maintaining decency, nudity is prohibited both on the red carpet and in other festival locations. Voluminous dresses, especially those with a large train, which make it difficult to move and complicate taking seats in the theater, are not allowed - we read on the event's website.

Blake Lively in Cannes/photo Shutterstock

Guests are advised to arrive in outfits that fit into the evening dress code guidelines - long dresses or cocktail dresses, preferably the so-called "little black dresses", classic dark suits with a bow tie or tie, as well as tuxedos will work well. In terms of footwear, only "elegant shoes with or without heels" are allowed. Sports shoes are prohibited.

It seems that the new guidelines are a reaction to the bold outfits we can see among stars attending similar events. Recently, so-called "naked dresses" have become increasingly popular on red carpets, provocative dresses made of transparent materials that reveal more than they cover. Dresses with very deep necklines are also fashionable, which Bella Hadid, among others, liked to present on the red carpet in Cannes.

Those who do not follow these guidelines will simply not be allowed to enter the festival grounds .

- The teams welcoming guests will be obliged to prohibit entry to the red carpet to people who do not comply with these rules - the organizers warn.