Festival De Cannes has come a long way since 1946, from what was primarily an exclusive social event where fur-sheathed shoulders brushed and almost every film went away with an award, an accumulation of Dolce Vita star presence and increased media coverage saw a rapid gain of international reputation. Nonetheless, luckily, one thing has carried through. The poet and film maker Jean Cocteau called it “an apolitical no-man’s land” wherein everybody seems to “speak the same language”, the mother tongue being glamour.
This year at the 67th annual film festival we’ve seen that glamour talks. Yes, glamour has changed, but in whatever form it takes, the French Riviera’s gravitational pull never wavers. 2014’s roster of star presence hasn’t disappointed, and many are in it for the long run this year, treating each red carpet as a catwalk from day one and throughout the 12-day stretch. Thusly the world’s press has been busy tracking celebrity notables that have travelled from around the globe to promote their films or simply make a memorable appearance and look darn snazzy when doing so.
Nicole Kidman wears Altuzarra
Naomi Watts wears Marchesa
Cate Blanchett wears Givenchy
One of the earliest appearances to beckon a frenzy of paparazzi went to Nicole Kidman, whose newest cinematic title Grace of Monaco opened the festival and begun the proceedings. Kidman opted for a gleaming white Altuzarra crepe dress with shoulder slits, while fellow Australian Naomi Watts has been covering plenty of preened ground in designers such as Marchesa and Calvin Klein, invariably topped off with statement Bulgari pieces. Also keeping the end up from down under was Cate Blanchett whose decisions to wear garments by Givenchy, Valentino and Delpozo were certainly perceptive.
Julianne Moore wears Chanel
Jessica Chastain wears Versace Atelier
Hilary Swank wears Versace Atelier
Moving stateside, Julianne Moore, ever the style sophisticate in light feathered Chanel, and recent movers and shakers, Jessica Chastain in royal blue Atelier Versace and Hilary Swank also in the Italian label, wore their gowns with aplomb.
Jane Fonda wears Elie Saab
Carole Bouquet, flanked by Sophia Coppola, wears Chanel
And Cannes veterans, such as the ageless Jane Fonda, in beaded Elie Saab, and Carole Bouquet in a sprightly Chanel SS14 number, embedded their aplomb with a little joie de vivre.
Eva Green wears Elie Saab
Zoe Saldana wears Jason Wu
Elie Saab then proved the perfect counterpart to Eva Green’s vamp, with the star donning a ruby red silk chiffon couture gown, and seemingly influencing Zoe Saldana to choose a comparably vampish, equally alluring, Jason Wu AW14 sheer black gown with blossoms of green sequins.
Adriana Lima wears Alexandre Vauthier
Nadja Auermann wears Dolce & Gabbana
Ines De La Fressange wears Chanel
Model figures making appearances this year included Victoria’s Secret Angel Adriana Lima in a superbly cinching Alexandre Vauthier Couture bustier gown, Nadja Auermann in a perky Dolce & Gabbana soft fit and flare floral dress, and the iconic Ines De La Fressange, who for yet another year, chose to pair flats with her Chanel scuba neck beaded shift, for yet another Parisian chic look.
Paz Vega wears Zuhair Murad
Amira Casar wears Chanel
Zhang Ziyi wears Stephane Rolland
Finally, when it came to the national sets, a selection of foreign film beauties gave Cannes just the right treatment. From Spain’s siren of the screen Paz Vega and her choice, a structured lace insert Zuhair Murad neck dress in teal, to French star Amira Casar in an A/W 2009/10 Chanel Couture black silk dress at the Saint Laurent, by Bertrand Bonello, premiere. Zhang Ziyi, in a spring 2014 Couture Stephane Rolland PVC/nude underlay bodice dress featuring a dramatic ruffle skirt, wraps up 2014’s Cannes style spectaculars to a tee, proving that when Cannes calls, glamour comes from far and wide.
by Liam Feltham
Images courtesy of Style.com