The annual high-end celebrity jewellery event happened in Cannes this week – by that I mean the film festival, and the red carpet was once again resplendent with celebrities shilling an array of priceless gems for the likes of Chopard, Van Cleef, Bulgari et al.
Cannes has become another important event destination for star-studded peacocking, for those who like to wear very little (IMG models who have never been in a film), feathers and trains and ball skirts (people in a film you haven’t heard of), luxury brand ambassadors (most Hollywood actors) and grumpy men in suits who probably funded the ventures.
Cate Blanchett was representing Louis Vuitton and designer Nicolas Ghesquiere’s relentlessly peculiar designs, but I did like the nonchalance of the dress and cape ensemble with pockets that had been made from dead stock offcuts, which was Cate’s nod at sustainability (she has also often re-worn gowns, to her credit).
As usual, the actresses that go for chic and simple always get my vote: Kirsten Dunst in a vintage Chanel black strapless chiffon dress with a diamond collier and side-parted blonde waves, Jennifer Lawrence in a fabulous red Dior gown with stole that was the perfect amount of glamour and understatement. Naomi Campbell knocked it out of the park at every outfit change but her pleated, sequinned goddess gown by Celine was a masterstroke.
Also in vintage was Lily Rose Depp, in a cute, sequinned Chanel mini dress that looked great at her young age, but who later drew criticism when she was filmed smoking and stubbing out a cigarette while wearing it. It’s an unspoken rule that when borrowing archive pieces, you should neither wear perfume nor smoke, as the fabric will absorb odours. But I don’t know how they think these women will get into the looks without being on a nicotine-only diet.
Natalie Portman made a splash in a Dior gown that was a replica, or an homage let’s say, of an iconic gown from 1949-1950 collection, designed by Christian Dior.
The original gown, Junon, is a strapless ball dress featuring cascading embroidered petals redolent of peacock feathers, and it is housed in the Metropolitan Museum.
It was heartening for fashion lovers to see Natalie in a copy, rather than sullying an important dress, a la Kim Kardashian when she squeezed herself into Marilyn Monroe’s figure-hugging dress and wore it to the Met Gala.
I have to admit though, my very favourite from Cannes was actually a relaxed look worn by Phoebe Waller Bridges at her photo call, when she wore a gorgeous cream pantsuit, with a jacket that tie on the side and a sheer bra just peeking out, giving it a casual elegance instead of showing everything everywhere, all at once.
She again nailed it on the red carpet in a black Schiaparelli dress with shoe string straps and a fishtail which had oomph, but not too much. And much to my delight, no dazzling loan jewellery on loan, just a great haircut and a tonne of talent.
