Cannes Film Festival Imposes Strict Dress Code to Ban Nudity and Extravagant Gowns

The Cannes Film Festival has announced a new dress code banning all nudity on the red carpet this year, citing "decency reasons." This includes a prohibition on both revealing "naked dressing" and excessively large, attention-grabbing gowns with dramatic trains.

These guidelines, unveiled just a day before the festival’s lavish 12-day event began, mark a significant shift in the red carpet’s traditionally bold fashion culture. Celebrities have long used the Cannes stage to make daring style statements, often aiming for viral moments with their outfit choices.

The new restrictions pose a challenge for stars who invest months planning their looks and disappoint fans who eagerly follow the festival’s fashion highlights, despite rarely being able to emulate them.

Critics argue that the policy is tone-deaf and potentially misogynistic, especially amid global debates on women’s bodily autonomy. Stylist Karla Welch, known for working with top celebrities, emphasized that no authority should dictate how women express themselves through fashion, stating, "Governing bodies should not control our bodies or our self-expression."

Mickey Boardman, director of special projects at a leading culture magazine, added that women on the red carpet face criticism regardless of their choices, saying, "If a woman wears a simple dress, she’s labeled boring; now, with these new rules, they’re punished for being bold. The double standards are absurd."

The crackdown also appears aimed at limiting the space women occupy on the red carpet. Last year, Dominican actress Massiel Taveras encountered a confrontation with security after displaying a flowing train down the Cannes steps. In a separate incident, a security guard stepped on the trailing hem of singer Kelly Rowland’s dress, highlighting tensions around red carpet fashion freedom.