Among the sea of tulle that always seems to swell up around Cannes’s gown-laced festivalgoers, one can always spot a French gamine. Streamlined, chic, but still making plenty of statements along the expansive red carpet, our Gallic counterparts approach the high-wattage glamour of the international film festival with an elegant ease, upending traditional eveningwear trends along the way. Whether they opt for tuxedos over gowns or trade their heels for flats, the French seem to have a distinct dress code inherent to themselves. So we called up Inès de la Fressange, resident expert in all things Parisian, for a course on red carpet takeovers a la française.
As De la Fressange explained, it’s a delicate balance between not wanting to appear too showy, but to still stand out and remain memorable. Here, amid the fracas of the 69th annual Cannes Film Festival, the designer, model, and Roger Vivier ambassador reveals how French actresses prepare for the world’s biggest red carpet.
Dress to feel good, not look sexy.
We don’t have so many red carpets in France—Festival de Cannes is the most important red carpet, not to say the only one—and one of the differences with Hollywood is that French women are not obsessed with looking sexy and trendy, but rather looking great and feeling good. Also, the main difference is that there are no TV shows to comment on their looks in detail: [The actress’s] movie is more important than her appearance.
Don’t try too hard.
French actresses never want to look too fashionable; it’s a paradox in a country known for its fashion! The French are afraid to look unlike themselves. They want people to say that they look gorgeous, rather than saying that their dress is stunning. They never want be too showy, so they don’t stop too long in front of photographers and never really pause.
Avoid the ultimate faux pas, and own your look.
Whatever the outfit is, one has to own it. So the choice is important; it can be a vintage dress or an unknown designer, it all depends on whether the person likes it, which is better than bad advice from a famous brand or a pushy PR. Consider many different options before making your final choice, and never try to be provocative if it’s not [the way you are] in real life.
When it comes to packing the French way, more is more.
Over the past few years, I’ve personally preferred to pack too much. You never know if you want to change shoes or add jewelry at the last minute. My assistant would send me clothes and accessories before my arrival. I could have 20 pairs of shoes and 10 bags for two days, but I would also make sure I brought T-shirts and leggings for when I had my hair and makeup done, clothes for daytime, for interviews, for photo sessions, for dinner after the red carpet, pajamas, and socks so as not to catch cold while sleeping—around three cases and two big bags. Some celebrities have their dresses sent by brands. Chanel always has a team in Cannes and has someone dress me in my hotel room. Last year the designer of my own brand came with her assistant just to give me my dresses that were finished and retouched at the last second, so I had the girls stay with me rather than immediately go back to Paris. As I had many shoes and bags to lend them, they were thrilled to come with me to the main film screening of the day!
Flat shoes elevate red carpet dressing.
It’s a misconception that to look dressy one needs huge heels: Were Greek ancient statues wearing heels with their togas? Did Cleopatra wear platforms? Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s only had kitten heels, and most of the more glamorous women we have in mind—Marilyn Monroe, Greta Garbo, Ava Gardner, Ingrid Bergman—they hardly wore stilettos. It all depends on your look. Roger Vivier knows how to make flats dressy and sophisticated. Besides the fact that each season the brand has gorgeous shoes and clutches for these kinds of occasions, they bring luck as well! Many actresses have won Oscars and awards the day they were wearing their Viviers.
Rather than be a small fish in a big pond, be a big fish in a small pond.
Cannes guests should have a look at what young designers are doing. It will help their business, and the designers will always give you their utmost attention. I remember wearing a Carven dress at the time Guillaume Henry was unknown. He was very happy about this kind of exposure and had the dress made especially for me, exactly the way I wanted.
French women always remain cool on the red carpet.
French women are afraid to look pretentious, which is why they remain low-key. Personally, I smile too much and move too much, which makes it difficult for photographers. Once I ran, even though some people wanted to shake hands, but I knew they were expecting me where the photographers were waiting! What a terrible thing to do.
French women know their tuxes.
Yves Saint Laurent used to show women wearing tuxedos with heels and sometimes nothing under the jacket, which is always gorgeous. The last actress who went to Cannes with a tuxedo was Aymeline Valade, who played the part of Betty Catroux, the muse and friend of Yves Saint Laurent! She looked great, but this look can be very risky, as it can give the impression that you didn’t want to make too much effort. But it’s also a guarantee for looking great.
Don’t look like a bimbo–keep your accessories personal.
I always have a clutch—this year there is a satin Night Box at Roger Vivier that I simply adore—and a shawl in case it gets chilly inside. There are a lot of luxurious brands that lend jewelry to actresses, but I always think it ages them by 10 years, and it’s usually very obvious that the jewelry doesn’t belong to them. I prefer to have vintage pieces that are more discreet, such as Marie-Hélène de Taillac’s work, or perhaps something from Elie Top with lots of personality. Less is better. With lots of makeup, overdone hairdos, long dresses, and too much jewelry, one can quickly look like a bimbo!