In the Cannes: Best Looks and Trends from the Year's Most Luxurious Film Festival

By Chris Frey
May 20, 2011

The Cannes Film Festival, indisputably the most prestigious and glamorous in the world, is celebrating its 64th year on the coast of the French Riviera in the city for which it was named. Cannes is luxury: private yachts, four-star hotels, palm tree shaded boulevards lined with designer boutiques, world-class chefs, exclusive parties, and pristine sun-soaked beaches with cool Mediterranean breezes. The by-invite-only festival spans 12 days and boasts an international crowd of film industry A-listers and the paparazzi that follow them.

cannes film festival

The official poster of the 64th Cannes Film Festival on the Festival's palace facade in Cannes (Photo credit VALERY HACHE/AFP/Getty Images).

We’ve followed the 2011 Cannes Film Festival since opening night on May 11 and, as expected, the red carpet fashion is, as a local might say: sensationelle. Each film premiere generates its own Oscar- night- worthy celebrity buzz. We spotted red carpet dresses (accessorized with jewels that require insurance policies worth more than most of our homes) that included classic strapless columns, sweeping trains and dovetail hemlines, tulle and feathers, as well as some very sheer layers.

Angelina Jolie, Brooke Shields, Bar Refaeli

Three memorable red carpet fashions from the 2011 Cannes Film Festival: Angelina Jolie in shoulder-baring strapless chocolate (photo by Tony Barson/Contributor), Brooke Shields in white (photo by Francois Durand/Getty Images) and model Bar Refaeli in navy (photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images).

Lace, sequins, beading and metallics remained prominent celebrity fashions, as did shades of nude. Stark white dresses in every imaginable silhouette were spotted everywhere from the airport tarmacs to the ballrooms. Navy blue was having a moment, as was chocolate brown. Angelina Jolie looked perfect as ever in her brown satin floor grazer, but we’ve seen that classic shoulder-baring look on her before and it seemed maybe a little too safe.

But, hey, we’re not here to play fashion police. And, while we most certainly appreciate a classic, impeccably tailored designer gown, we know that most of us aren’t in the market for one. So, we decided instead to bring to light a few red carpet fashion trends that we found a bit risky, and therefore, inspiring, but at the same time completely wearable off the Cannes red carpet.

Green Gemstones

Bianca Balti (photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images), Angelina Jolie (photo by Francois Durand/Getty Images), Uma Thurman(photo by Mike Marsland/Contributor)

Vibrant green gemstones including emerald, malachite and dark jade made a serious impact on the red carpet in Cannes. Vibrant and earthy but entirely luxe, green stone accessories particularly stunning paired with crisp white dresses as seen on Uma Thurman in cascading briolette chandelier earrings, model Bianca Balti in a complete set of Egyptian inspired pieces and Angelina Jolie with a classic gold and emerald bracelet and cocktail ring.

Roll over items for details

Schiaparelli Style Necklace

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Emerald Bangle Bracelet

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Diamond and Emerald Earrings

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In the Cannes: Best Looks and Trends from the Year's Most Luxurious Film Festival

Sexy Menswear

Gwen Stefani (photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images), Rachel McAdams (photo by Tony Barson/WireImage), Delphine Chaneac (photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

It’s no shocker to see a woman in a suit on the red carpet these days, but these three celebrity fashions upped the ante with plunging necklines, bare shoulders and lots of sheen: Gwen Stefani in a black sequin jumpsuit, Rachel McAdams in a beaded bustier top and nude wide leg trousers and Delphine Chaneac in a sleek tuxedo jacket with deep plunging neckline, sans camisole.

New Helmut Lang Blazer

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New Silk Bustier Top

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New Halston Sequin Jumpsuit

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Risk-Taking Reds

Zoe Saldana (photo by Venturelli/WireImage), Fan Bingbing (photo by Mike Marsland/WireImage), Actress Rachel McAdams (photo by Venturelli/WireImage)

Red is a prominent celebrity fashion trend these days and while we love a full on look—and there were plenty in Cannes—we also liked seeing it worked into unique fabrications like these: Rachel McAdams in another memorable red carpet dress—a sexy lace overlay tea length dress with nude tulle fishtail hemline, Zoe Saldana looking fresh in a bold, nautical-inspired volumetric skirt with wide red stripes, and Fan Bingbing in a chinoiserie printed floor length gown.

Red Floral Maxi Dress

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Red Stripe Full Maxi Skirt

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Sheer Red Lace Dress

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Glam Goth

Melanie Laurent (photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images), Mallika Sherawat (photo by Mike Marsland/WireImage), Karolina Kurkova (photo by George Pimentel/FilmMagic)

Black will always be a significant player on the red carpet, but we noticed a shift from glam to goth (but still glam!) at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival: Karolina Kurkova in a "Black Swan"-inspired mini, complete with feathers and ballet tulle skirt; Melanie Laurent in a strapless floor-length with ruched mesh overlay and nude bodice; and Bollywood darling Mallika Sherawat, who combined crochet and bondage elements to witchy effect.