Cannes bans red carpet nudity over celebrity craze for ‘the naked dress’
By Craig Simpson
Cannes Film Festival has banned nudity on the red carpet over a celebrity craze for “the naked dress”.
Organisers of the festival on the French Riviera have threatened to refuse entry to VIP guests who do not cover up.
Nudity rules have been added to the dress code for the glamorous event, which begins on Tuesday and will be attended by a host of Hollywood stars.
Nude dressing on the red carpet: Halle Berry at the 2025 Met Gala, Kanye West and wife Bianca Censori at the 2025 Grammy Awards, and Bella Hadid at Cannes last year.Credit: Getty Images
Festival organisers said the move had been made in the interests of “decency”, following the increasing use of red carpets to show off risque “naked dresses”, which typically show off the wearer more than the couture.
Halle Berry wore a sheer gown at the Met Gala in New York this month that revealed her body between sequinned black panelling, and model Bella Hadid went braless in a sheer brown dress in 2024.
Earlier this year, Bianca Censori caused a stir on the Grammys red carpet when she appeared near-naked in a sheer slip, tailored with her husband Ye (the rapper formerly known as Kanye West).
World-famous stars of their calibre often grace the Cannes red carpet in front of the Grand Theatre Lumiere, where the highest-profile films premiere.
Cannes stated in a festival document: “For decency reasons, nudity is prohibited on the red carpet, as well as in any other area of the festival.”
The rules add: “The festival welcoming teams will be obligated to prohibit red carpet access to anyone not respecting these rules.”
This prohibition was not stated in previous years, and has been included in a “festival-goers’ charter” outlining expected behaviour.
Red carpets are shown on TV by companies including France’s national broadcaster, France Televisions, although it is not known whether the risk of airing nudity played a role in deciding on the ban.
The dress code for red carpet events before Theatre Lumiere screenings requires dinner jackets and long dresses.
A “little black dress” is also permitted, or a “cocktail dress, a dark-coloured pantsuit, a dressy top with black pants; elegant shoes and sandals with or without a heel”.
“Voluminous dresses” with large trains have also been banned, meaning this gown worn by model Ashley Graham in 2023 may not have passed organiser’s strict rules had she worn it this year.Credit: Getty Images
In addition to banning nudity, Cannes has also prohibited “voluminous dresses” with large trains.
This is for practical reasons, as billowing gowns “hinder the proper flow of traffic of guests and complicate seating”.
It is not yet clear whether Cannes bosses will waive the nudity regulations for the A-list guests attending the festival and helping to promote their latest films.
The festival has a recent history of flouting its own rules, particularly when VIPs are involved.
In 2021, Cannes banned personal contact as part of its COVID guidelines, including “la bise”, the customary French peck on each cheek.
However, on the first red carpet of the event, Pierre Lescure, the festival president at the time, greeted guests including Carla Bruni and Jessica Chastain with the customary “bisous”.
The Telegraph, London
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