Cannes issues dress-code guidance

The Cannes Film Festival has again put its red-carpet dress code in focus during the 2026 event, as media coverage this week highlighted guidance against revealing “naked dressing,” oversized trains and casual footwear. The New York Times reported on May 21 that Cannes remained unusually strict on attire, including discouraging long trains and sneakers and favoring black or navy suits for men. Festival de Cannes’ official FAQ, available during the current edition, says gala attendees may wear “a little black dress,” a cocktail dress, a dark-colored pantsuit or “a black or navy-blue suit,” and specifies “no sneakers.” ### What does Cannes officially say guests should wear? Festival de Cannes says on its FAQ page that gala screening attire includes formal evening options for women and men, with “elegant shoes and sandals with or without a heel” allowed but “no sneakers.” The same FAQ says men may wear “a black or navy-blue suit with bow-tie or dark-colored tie.” The festival has long maintained formal rules for the steps of the Palais, and its own archival material describes the red carpet as a ritual with a dress code that has been “often respected, sometimes subverted.” That history helps explain why clothing rules at Cannes are treated as part of the event itself, rather than a minor guest-services note. (festival-cannes.com) ### Where did the talk about “naked dressing” and long trains come from? (festival-cannes.com) The New York Times reported on May 21 that Cannes had reiterated guidance discouraging “naked dressing,” voluminous gowns or long trains, and sneakers, while still producing high-profile fashion moments on the carpet. The report also said the guidance favored black or navy suits for men. Elle reported on May 21 that restrictions on revealing looks were first imposed by the festival in 2025, but wrote that the 2026 red carpet remained “as sheer and skin-baring as ever.” That left the rules visible in official guidance and the boundary-testing visible on the carpet itself, according to Elle’s account. (festival-cannes.com 1) (festival-cannes.com 2) ### Are people actually following the rules this year? The 79th Festival de Cannes has continued to post red-carpet videos and photo coverage from nightly premieres, showing that formalwear remains the norm while celebrity styling still varies widely. The festival’s live coverage page lists red-steps appearances throughout the week, including premieres on May 20, May 21 and May 22. The New York Times and Elle both framed the issue as an annual tension rather than a one-night enforcement story. (elle.com) The Times said Cannes “remains unusually strict” on attire, while Elle reported that sheer and body-baring looks were still appearing in 2026 despite the restrictions first introduced last year. ### Why does Cannes keep revisiting the dress code? Cannes has tied red-carpet clothing to ceremony for decades. (festival-cannes.com) The festival’s own historical page says stars have long arrived for gala screenings under a code that became part of the Croisette spectacle, and notes that some guests have challenged it over the years. The current FAQ shows that the festival still treats dress guidance as operational as well as symbolic. (festival-cannes.com) The same page that sets clothing expectations also bars large bags for gala screenings, placing attire alongside access and event-management rules. ### What happens next during this year’s festival? The 79th Festival de Cannes is scheduled to run from May 12 to May 23, 2026, according to the festival’s official pages. (festival-cannes.com) Red-carpet appearances, press conferences and ceremony footage are continuing to be published through the festival’s live and video feeds as the event heads into its closing stretch. (festival-cannes.com) (festival-cannes.com)