Cannes Film Festival 2019: The best dressed

This article was originally published on May 27th 2019 on The National Student.

I know, I know, Cannes Film Festival is a celebration of cinema.  With that said, however, this year the red carpet dresses deserved a Palme d’Or of their own: long, short, colourful, monochromatic… the red carpet gave us just as much of a show as the films themselves did.  Here are a few of our faves (and boy was this a hard list to cut down):

Jasmine Tookes

Just look at this Georges Chakra dress move! It practically comes to life as Jasmine Tookes sashays down the runway.  A nod to this season’s much-embraced tie-dye trend, the deep back, and the contemporary silver jewellery all give a modern twist to what is otherwise a breathtaking, classic gown that is bound to be admired for years to come.

Leomie Anderson 

After this year’s camp-themed Met Gala, our standard for show-stopping runway looks has been seriously elevated. This Rami Kadi look on Leomie Anderson doesn’t just meet these standards; it exceeds them. Barely-there makeup and jewellery allow this glass shard-esque bodice and train to do all the talking, and her subtle but intricately styled hair is the the cherry on top of a wholly red-carpet worthy cake.

Josephine Skriver

All that glitters isn’t gold… sometimes it’s the perfect shade of blush pink. Josephine Skriver’s Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini gown is all the proof we needed that sometimes less is more: a beautifully-fitted but simple silhouette, a toned-down colour palette, and minimal accessorising are elevated to Cannes status by décolletage-to-toe sparkles and all of a sudden my childhood princess aspirations don’t seem so ridiculous anymore. 

Madison Beer

On the one hand, less is more. On the other, if you’re going to Cannes you might as well go all out. Madison Beer did just that: her black Georges Hobeika gown in all its ruffled glory trailed behind her on the red carpet and made us all wonder why the LBD has such a cult following. Clearly, it’s the Great Black Dress we should all be embracing.  

Liya Kebede

Valentino? Good. Whimsical embroidered butterflies? Good. Sequins and tulle? Good.  This dress was always a recipe for success and Liya Kebede wore it so damn well.  An event celebrating one of the most dramatic forms of art deserves a red-carpet worthy of its craft, and this theatrical number was just the ticket.

Camila Morrone

If you’re accompanying Leonardo DiCaprio to Cannes Film Festival where a film he co-starred in will be debuting and you know you’ll be walking the red carpet you should probably pick a dress you’re more than happy to be seen in. I don’t know about you, but I’d be more than happy to be seen in this Bulgaria creation. The full skirt and feathered hem risk becoming a bit much, but Camila Morrone kept the balance just right with her classy jewels, rosy makeup, and tried-and-tested ballerina bun.

Elsa Hosk

In a sea of floor-length gowns, a mini body con dress definitely risks being somewhat underwhelming. Elsa Hosk, however, is a seasoned runway and red-carpet pro, and the addition of these arm-length sequinned, ruffled gloves to her Redemption look were anything but disappointing. Bonus points for picking a brand that donates 50% of its profits to charity, too.

Elsa Hosk… again

I’d never want to be accused of favouritism, but I’ll risk it because excluding Elsa Hosk in custom Etro from this best dressed list would be sartorial sacrilege. This Grecian Goddess meets Rainbow Brite gown is just the thing to get us in the mood for wedding season and all the tulle that comes with it, and while I may not have an occasion for a pastel rainbow gown, her accompanying plait/headband hairstyle is one i’ll definitely be trying this summer. 

Bella Hadid

Maybe it was my childhood spent hopping from ballet class to ballet class; maybe I’m just extremely partial to Dior. Either way, I love this look. The tiered, silky midi skirt, sheer long-sleeved crop top, parchment-hued miniature handbag, and fringed ballet bun are the perfect meet cute between age-old Cannes glamour and contemporary urban edge.  Beige in colour, but definitely not in substance.  

Margot Robbie

OBVIOUSLY I was never going to finish this list without a whole paragraph dedicated to fan-girling over Margot Robbie in Chanel. This white broderie number is classic and summery, and a parred-back breath of fresh air amidst a sea (or carpet) of statement gowns. But perhaps the best bit of her look isn’t the dress, but the hair, which pays homage to the very Sharon Tate portrayed by Robbie in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood: the wispy plaits framing her face mirror those worn Tate at the same event in 1968. There’s no doubt that Sharon Tate should’ve had the chance to walk many more red carpets, but Robbie is doing a stellar job of honouring her as she completes the festival circuit this season.

For more red-carpet style, take a look at our round ups from the Met Gala and the BAFTA awards.