Cannes Introduces Red Carpet Nudity Ban: Will It Really Change Anything?

In a dramatic shake-up ahead of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, organisers have updated the official dress code to prohibit one of its most iconic sartorial statements: naked dressing. The revised guidelines for evening gala screenings at the Grand Théâtre Lumière now explicitly state, “For decency reasons, nudity is prohibited on the red carpet, as well as in any other area of the festival.”

If that wasn’t enough to stir controversy, the update continues: “Voluminous outfits, in particular those with a large train, that hinder the proper flow of traffic of guests and complicate seating in the theatre are not permitted. The festival welcoming teams will be obligated to prohibit red carpet access to anyone not respecting these rules.”

The decision marks a sharp departure for Cannes, a festival long associated with headline-grabbing fashion moments — from dramatic trains to nearly-nude couture. As the 78th edition opens tomorrow, all eyes will be on how these rules are enforced.

Despite these formalities, Cannes has a track record of inconsistently applying its regulations. Selfies and extended pauses on the red carpet are technically discouraged but not always policed. Consider last year’s viral moment when Kelly Rowland was hurried along the red carpet by a security guard before being encircled by staff.

“I have a boundary, and I stand by those boundaries, and that is it,” she later told the Associated Press of the incident. “And there were other women that attended that carpet who did not quite look like me, and they didn’t get scolded or pushed off or told to get off.”

Others who faced similar treatment last year included Dominican actor Massiel Taveras, K-pop star Yoona, and Ukrainian model Sawa Pontyjska — the latter of whom was physically removed from the photo area.

By contrast, high-profile guests such as Bella Hadid strolled the carpet at leisure. Major celebrities and brand ambassadors for sponsors like Chopard, Kering, and L’Oréal Paris appeared to receive more lenient treatment. While influencers may now risk being turned away for revealing outfits, it’s unclear whether the same rules will apply to Cannes darlings like Bella or Kendall Jenner.

With a rich legacy of barely-there fashion defining the Croisette, questions remain over who will be expected to comply, how the dress code will be enforced, and whether it signals a permanent shift towards more conservative fashion at the world’s most glamorous film festival.