Cannes unfiltered: secrets behind the red carpet
Cannes, France - In Cannes, a look is not born on the red carpet. It is prepared months in advance, involving sketches, fittings and negotiations with fashion houses. What the public sees in a few seconds is the result of a precise mechanism where every detail matters.
Dresses, accessories, hairstyles and makeup: nothing is left to chance. Each element is chosen with millimetric precision. At the forefront of this process are the stylists, true architects of image, responsible for giving coherence and character to each ensemble.
“We sometimes reflect for two or three months and it all comes down to ten seconds on the red carpet,” French stylist Ilya Vanzato, the creator of some of the most talked-about looks at the legendary festival, told AFP.
The creative process begins with a discussion between the stylist and their client. “That's when we ask ourselves: for this Cannes, what are we looking for? Something sober and elegant? Or more of a ‘wow’ look that generates buzz?” he adds.
Vanzato, who trained in the haute couture workshops of Dior and later with Zac Posen in New York, is the stylist behind the looks of supermodels like Coco Rocha and Natasha Poly. He insists that a memorable outfit is not just about aesthetics; it is about narrative.
The Cannes red carpet has always been a stage for calculated messages. Examples range from Madonna revealing Jean Paul Gaultier's famous conical corset to Cate Blanchett showing the colours of the Palestinian flag with the lining of her Heider Ackermann dress.
“There are many beautiful pieces, but you have to find one that tells a story and fits the celebrity's image,” adds Alexandra Pavlova.
The Russian stylist, who has been attending Cannes for six years, summarises the real challenge: finding a piece that transcends beauty.
Fashion and strategy
In Cannes, fashion is also a matter of negotiation. Behind every ensemble are strategies and alliances that are forged long before a celebrity steps onto the red carpet.
“A stylist not only proposes looks; they build bridges between an artist and the design houses, and gradually elevate their status within the fashion world,” explains French stylist Coline Bach, who has dressed names like Christina Aguilera, Angèle and DJ Snake.
A successful appearance can open the door to advertising campaigns and collaborations with major brands.
“There is a real strategy behind which brand to wear and what relationship you want to build for the future,” adds Ilya Vanzato.
During the festival, brands set up private showrooms in the grand luxury hotels. There, amidst jewellery, clothing racks and public relations teams, exclusive pieces are tried on that are rarely seen again outside those rooms.
The pressure has intensified with social media, which multiplies the visibility of each appearance. A look can generate millions of views and become a global trend in a matter of minutes.
“Every piece worn in Cannes becomes hyper-mediatised,” says Pavlova.
D-day: glamour and chaos
The day of the red carpet begins hours before, in a hotel room turned into an operations centre. “Three hours before, we are already on with the glam: hair and makeup,” explains Bach.
Even after months of preparation, everything can change in an instant.
In Cannes, stories abound of dresses held up at customs, impossible shoes or fabrics that react badly under the Mediterranean light.
Pavlova recalls an occasion when she had to intervene at top speed. Minutes before leaving for the red carpet, in the lobby of the famous Martinez hotel, one of her client's outfits had an accident: someone stepped on the fabric and tore it.
“You have to be very reactive, which is why I never go anywhere without my sewing kit,” the stylist says.
Right there, among tourists, cameras and the murmur of the lobby, Pavlova sewed the piece by hand while her client, already with hair and makeup done, waited ready for the cameras.
When he crossed the Croisette, no one imagined that his look had been saved at the last minute.
“People think that coming to Cannes is about enjoying the good life and drinking cocktails, but in reality, we spend our days putting out fires,” Bach summarises.
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