The Cannes Film Festival which began yesterday on May 13th, introduced a ban on nudity for attendees, which may be a timely and appropriate resolution to the full frontals the world got a glimpse of at the Grammys. With the introduction of the ‘naked dress’ and other sheer alternatives on recent red carpets, this might be a good call to end the relentless unspoken competition of who can impress by wearing less when rolling up to a high-profile event.
Cannes’ nudity ban feels to be the perfect response to this trending ‘barely there’ fashion moment that not only objectifies women but promotes sexuality to minors who may be watching these celebrities. It’s also borderline concerning as nominees and guests don’t sign up to bear witness to all that when they are elected for such events. While there is certainly such thing as tasteful side boob in fashion, nobody wants to see your carpet out on the red carpet.
After Bianca Censori’s almost fully nude moment at the Grammys, the necessity to take precautions, such as putting this rule in place, is understandable. Censori showed up to the Grammys in February wearing a large fur coat that she dropped for cameras to reveal her nakedness as she was wearing nothing but a netted, see-through stocking. It sparked lots of media attention and even led to some people questioning her well-being. While families might not hover around the TV together as they once did for award shows, young people are still going to see these fashion moments all over Snapchat and YouTube recaps.
Last week at the Met Gala, Halle Berry rocked a dress with long sheer alcoves, some of which were a little too close to where her legs met and put her at risk of flashing photographers and guests when she walked. Her top half was stunning but the look certainly had fans questioning her intentions with this promiscuous gown. While Berry’s look was a more tasteful exposure than Censori’s, her dress was still too revealing for young eyes and promotes promiscuity.
The Cannes Film Festival also banned outfits that are “excessively voluminous” this year which may be a cause for some upset as this large, last minute change is quite limiting. Part of what viewers and guests look forward to each year are the extravagant outfits. This change is definitely one that will challenge designers and comes as a surprise, while the nudity rule does not present as much of a surprise. As for what the nudity rule means regarding sheer dresses or netting, it’s somewhat unclear.
Sheer is quite the spectrum in fashion as it can infer a gorgeously designed woven tulle veering from hinting at the beauty that lays underneath to the other end of the scale; full blown see-through sheer. With this new nudity rule being a matter of decency, it can be assumed that designer discretion could be applied to what might still fly on the red carpet. For example, Beyonce’s iconic sheer Met Gala dress from 2015 both turned heads and still provided her coverage. It is a positive example of how to make jaws drop in a way that accentuates one’s figure while also remaining classy. The beading was strategically placed and oriented on the netting to provide coverage in a way that was chic yet suggestive. It opted for a tasteful alternative to a plain see-through dress, which doesn’t illustrate much creative endeavor for the designer anyhow.
Florence Pugh also has a tendency to wear sheer tops and dresses that expose her entire chest, such as the hot pink tulle dress she wore for Valentino’s Haute Couture Winter show in 2023 and the white dress with the see-through corset she wore for the Academy Awards in March 2024. There is definitely a fine line between what is flirtatiously fashionable and what is fringing on pornographic. The lace design on this white dress did not provide the coverage that the Cannes guidelines would call for and the pink dress was certainly going for a more exposed look. While the abstract artistic claim is that women’s bodies are art, there is also a time and place for such art and internationally broadcasted awards shows might not be the place.
It will be fascinating to see what new fashion trends emerge in light of the Cannes’ ban. If beadwork and fabric cutouts are creatively curated around a woman’s curves, it can be a tasteful and fashionable work of art, that truly highlights the designers handiwork. It can boast the designer’s grand talents, rather than sticking them inside a dress mimicking our grandma’s pantyhose. Granted the history and reputation of the Cannes Film Festival being a place of elite actors and celebrities and high-end fashion icons, this classy act to ensure decency at this festival is a reputable one.
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