Cannes Film Festival Bans Risqué, Naked Dresses on 2025 Red Carpet

Don’t expect any provocative or dramatic moments on the red carpet during the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.

Organizers for the French Riviera film festival have decided to formally ban several types of dresses from the red carpet for the sake of “decency” and “efficiency.” Festival attendees should now refrain from voluminous dresses, dresses with long trains, and nudity in any form, per new guidelines. The controversial dress code update arrives just 24 hours before the festival is set to kick off, meaning many stylists are probably being left with few options and intense crunch time to swap out any naked dresses. This all comes into effect as the sheer dress trend on red carpets continues to rule fashion trends.

This latest dress code crackdown isn’t the first time a Cannes red carpet rule has attempted to tackle rule breakers. Footwear, for women in particular, has been a point of contention within the film festivals directives over the years too. To attend the premiere of her film Money Monster in 2016, Julia Roberts walked the red carpet barefoot in protest of the rule. Similarly, Kristen Stewart infamously took off her Christian Louboutin stilettos while on the red carpet in 2018. In 2023, Cate Blanchett followed suit by ditching her heels in solidarity with Iranian women's rights.

The Cannes Film Festival is no stranger to sheer red carpet moments. See-through looks at the prestigious event goes all the way back to Old Hollywood stars like Kim Novak and Sophia Loren in 1956 and 1964. While they were on the understated side of the trend, it made quite a statement at the time. In the decades since, the likes of Naomi Campbell, Kendall Jenner, and Irina Shayk have continued to don their own takes of the look courtesy of designers like Chanel. It-girl Bella Hadid in particular has been at the center of numerous skin-baring moments. Last year she wore a sheer dress by Saint Laurent and three years prior it was an entirely topless black gown by Schiaparelli with a gold necklace that covered her chest.

With the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival commencing Tuesday, May 13, its newest red carpet rules cast a shadow over its historically glamorous image. With Juliette Bionche leading the jury and the return of Laurent Lafitte as host, this year’s event promises cinematic excellence—but attendees should think twice before making a suggestive fashion statement. Under the newly enforced dress guidelines, even the festival’s biggest stars risk being turned away at the foot of the Montée des Marches.