This year’s Cannes Film Festival kicked off amid heightened fashion drama, as organisers introduced a last-minute change to the official dress code mere hours before the star-studded event began.
The new guidelines are aimed at upping the elegance and uniformity of the festival’s iconic red carpet, banning large dresses with expansive trains, nude dresses and voluminous gowns. While several celebrities scrambled to rethink their wardrobe plans, others stuck to their original bold visions, breaking the dress code with confident flair. So, who were the rule breakers? Let us take a look!
Heidi Klum and Wan QianHui emerged as the festival’s first style rebels, arriving in dramatic, high-octane gowns that defiantly featured cascading trains, making a clear statement that fashion rules were made to be challenged.
Heidi Klum, turned heads not once, but twice during Cannes. On the opening day, she defied the large dress ban with a stunning pink-and-white gown featuring a massive, flowing train that swept across the red carpet, capturing all eyes.
On day 2 of Cannes, she appeared in a sheer, off-shoulder dress — another choice that bent the rules and pushed boundaries, reinforcing her status as a true red carpet maverick.
We were also amused by what ‘Dubai Bling’ star and model Farhana Bodi wore to the opening night red carpet. Draped in a custom blush pink creation by Atelier Zuhra, Farhana’s gown featured an asymmetric silhouette and sculptural ruffles that added a modern architectural twist to classic glamour.
Adding to the roster of Cannes’ rule-breakers was Brazilian supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio. At 44, Alessandra showed the crowd how to combine age-defying glamour with daring style. She appeared ahead of the screening of ‘Partir Un Jour’ in a breathtaking green floor-length gown that hugged her figure perfectly. The dress featured a dramatic thigh-high slit, fluffy sleeve accents, and a long train — all elements that ensured every camera caught her striking presence.
Alessandra’s look was a masterclass in balancing boldness with sophistication, proving that red carpet rules can be bent without losing elegance.
In the end, whether it’s Heidi Klum’s daring trains, Farhana Bodi’s sculptural silhouettes, or Alessandra Ambrosio’s dramatic flair, breaking the dress code became the hottest trend at Cannes 2025. It raises an interesting question — is breaking fashion rules a bold statement of individuality, or simply part of the ever-evolving game that keeps the red carpet exciting?
