Part One: 70 Best Gowns of the 70th Cannes Festival
Monday, May 29, 2017 at 9:47PM by Nathaniel R.
Monica Belluci, Mistress of Ceremonies, in her Opening Night Gown which just missed our list
It's a giant-sized edition of Beauty Break fused with our traditional Red Carpet Lineup today. But before we begin, can we get a final round of applause for Jose's wondrous work charting all the Kidmanifestations this past week?
Kidman aside, or alongside as the case will be in this post, we couldn't let Cannes wrap up without honoring how glamorous the event is in a big way. Kidman wasn't the only goddess just slaying that red carpet. There were so many of them working those premieres that we even had to leave some A listers off altogether (like Charlize Theron who showed up briefly in a sheer black gown but it wasn't quite a wow if she was just going to do drive by fly by fashion. Alas we've now time to photoshop all the looks with our usual minimalist showcased flare -- please forgive -- but you'll see why given the immense amount of gowns we must cover as we say au revoir to Cannes.
70 BEST GOWNS OF CANNES 70
35 red carpet wins are after the jump
Before we begin, I should note that my best dressed lists are never from a deep fascination with fashion as art (a la Jose) but from actress-appreciation. Therefore there are only a few models on the list though models are always swarming the Cannes runways and making best dressed lists. My best dressed lists will also often include older women which fashion blogs try to ignore unless the women are superstars. Okay, here we go.
70. Sabine Azema in ??? at Closing Ceremonies
The French actress looked great in this color (and any variation of purple is apparently on trend as it was all over the red carpet). Perfect jewelry choice.
69. Andie Macdowell in Roberto Cavalli Couture for Killing of a Sacred Deer
My friends and I used to joke that Andie Macdowell sold her sold to the devil as she never ages and always looks spectacular. To quote 30 Rock, she kept it tight.
68. Tina Kunakey in Armani at The Beguiled
One of the only models on the list but I couldn't ignore her because she was having so much and she does have a film connection. She's the fine actor Vincent Cassell's rebound girlfriend post Monica Bellucci breakup.
67 Victoria Abril in everything at the Opening Gala
This mangled fusion of Spain, Japan, and Africa is cuckoo crazy but we love Victoria Abril and it's been so long since we've seen her so this showstopper -- clearly aiming for worst dressed lists and media coverage -- was the smart choice and super fun, too.
66. Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi in ??? at the 70th Anniversary
Dainty simplicity and smashingly flattering with her personal style
65. Eva Longoria in Marchesa at Killing of a Sacred Deer
From some angles this dress was spectacular. But not from all of them.
64. Clotilde Hesme in ??? at the 70th Anniversary
The French actress and Cinedonation jury member stayed true to her personal style. Always black and slightly avant-garde.
63. Emmanuelle Devos in ??? at the 70th Anniversary
Devos needs to stop hiding from the cameras. This is the only photo I saw of the great French actress the entire festival and she was obviously trying to hide behind her friend who was wearing a flashier dress.
62. Juliette Binoche in DAN Couture at Tribute to Christopher Doyle
The French goddess also wore an Armani Privé gown that had an extremely similar silhouette and similar black piping (only the dress was powder blue) for the 70th Anniversary Celebration. Since the dresses were so similar, this is the one we're including. But, in short, Juliette knows what she likes and what she looks good in.
61. Li Yuchun in Gucci at Okja
Rowwwr
60. Berenice Bejo in Alexis Mabille at Le Redoutable
So elegant with her chief accessory: Oscar-winning husband Michel Hazanavicius of The Artist fame. The only problem is the fit but nice dress.
59. Michelle Yeoh in ??? at Loveless
Always so thrilled to see her. That necklace is as bold as the pattern blocking of the dress but somehow it all works together.
58. Miriam Odemba in Josephine Bonair at Based on a True Story
Apparently this Tanzanian model hit worst dressed list for this but *I* love it. She's flouncy and happy and fun in this blinding white dress.
57. Sanoom Kapoor in Elie Saab Couture at Killing of a Sacred Deer
Bollywood actresses wear gigantic dresses but we don't mind.
56. Valeria Golino in ??? at the 70th Anniversary
You might say basic but that empire waistline and color and flow. Like it!
55. Susan Sarandon in ??? at Opening Gala
If you got it flaunt it 🎵
54. Kristin Scott Thomas in Christian Dior Couture at Killing of a Sacred Deer
You'd think that color would wash her out and vanish against a red carpet but instead it's just a soft lovely 10
53. Uma Thurman in Armani Privé at the Amfar Gala
Her accessory for the evening was teenage son Roan Hawke-Thurman.
52. Kristin Scott Thomas in Schiaparelli Couture at the Harmonist Gala
HOT PINK FOR BLAZING TALENT
51. Coco Rocha in Georges Hobeika Couture at The Meyerowitz Stories
It's a lot of look but gorg'
AND NOW IT'S TIME FOR THE TOP 50
50. Isabelle Huppert in custom Louis Vitton at the 70th Anniversary
Love everything about this from its column like tightness to the color to the shiny accents. That's Cannes bigwig Thierry Fremaux by her side who she's surely known for decades and decades now. Same time next year Isabelle?
49. Fan Bingbing in Elie Saab Couture at Opening Gala
Even Fan Bingbing's worst 2017 gown is a best gown. Not super crazy about that color on her though.
48. Salma Hayek in Gucci at the 70th Anniversary
A different more playful look on her. Fresh.
47. Fanbingbing in Atelier Versace at Closing Ceremonies
The details underneath all the tulle (?) are where it's at.
46. Monica Bellucci in Dolce & Gabbana at Closing Ceremonies
Busy and tight and severe but damn that's hot.
45. Jessica Chastain in Zuhair Murad Couture at Closing Ceremonies
44. Sandrine Kiberlain at the 70th Anniversary
The French actress has a very specific style and among all the things she wore as President of the Camera d'Or jury, this strangely textured and patterned black gown was the best.
43. Bella Hadid in Christian Dior Couture at Okja
42. Andie MacDowell in Roberto Cavalli Couture at The Meyerowitz Stories
When you are a gift to the world, why not wrap yourself up in a bow that's bigger than your torso?
41. Uma Thurman in Prada at the 70th Anniversary
Thurman has a long relationship with Prada. Remember her Pulp Fiction gown -- one of the greatest Oscar looks of all time. That long relationship always pays off. Some actresses are just born to wear gowns from certain fashion houses.
40. Shu Qi in Alexias Mabille for the 70th Anniversary
What's she been up to since The Assassin (2015)?
39. Naomi Campbell in Atelier Versace at the 70th Anniversary
Naomi made a bigger mark by her red carpet love fest with Nicole than with this dress, but... THIS DRESS.
38. Charlotte Gainsbourg in ??? at The Meyerowitz Stories
Gainsbourg traditionally favors extremely short legs-for-days looks like this and it totally works for her. Her accessory there is life partner Yvan Attal, French actor/director.
37. Kim Min-Hee in ??? at The Day After
OFFICIALLY LODGING COMPLAINT TO ENTIRE MEDIA FOR BARELY FEATURING KIM MIN-HEE IN ANY CANNES COVERAGE AND MAKING PICTURES OF HER SO INCREDIBLY HARD TO FIND EVEN THOUGH SHE WENT TO AT LEAST TWO EVENTS IN CANNES. SHE'S JUST OFF HER BIGGEST INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS (THE HANDMAIDEN) AND A LEADING LADY OF A COMPETITION FILM (THE DAY AFTER) SO WHY IGNORE HER?
36. Juliette Binoche in Armani Privé at Closing Ceremonies
Let us pause for a moment... okay ten to twenty of them... to appreciate that Juliette Binoche is not just one of the world's best actors but one of the great beauties. (She's also a brilliant reminder that it's a patriarchal lie that men age well and women don't. Truth: people just age and it's all individual. Some people do it better than others but everyone does it!) If anything Binoche is MORE beautiful now at 53 than she's ever been. She's been in the movies since 1983. Can you believe it?
Also those earrings... ❤️
PART TWO, OUR LAST CANNES POST, TOMORROW AFTERNOON
ALL CANNES COVERAGE
Awards: Un Certain Regard and Closing Ceremony
Films: Day 1, Days 2-4, Days 5-6, Days 7-8, Days 9-10 and Day 11 Predix
Fashion: French Divas & Kidmanifestations 1, 2, 3, 4
Misc: 120 BPM, The Florida Project, What Happened to Italy?, Best Actress History, The Jury, The Poster, Cannes Look Back 1967, Cannes Look Back 2008 Palme Winner
Reader Comments (18)
More Kim Min-Hee!!!!! I just saw The Handmaiden for my Cannes marathon and wow... she's gorgeous!!!!!!
Shu Qi, Uma Thurman (in Armani Privé), and (oh my God) Eva Longoria are my picks of the lot. Charlotte Gainsbourg is up there, too.
Kim Min-Hee is so pretty. And I'd put Binoche and MacDowell up against any man, at any age, any day.
P.S. Is it Hawke-Thurman or Thurman-Hawke?
Juliette Binoche looks great. Uma is more severe than I remember.
Such a tease leave us with the Binoche ARGGGGGG killing me!!!!
Eva Longoria's Marchesa dress was wonderful, it's way too low on the list.
Uma Thurman at the Amfar gala! She looks stunning, so glamorous (and also professional, like she's the boss of bosses). I have not seen her look this luminous in a while, I guess she really wanted to dazzle as Un Certain Regard jury leader.
Juliette Binoche... WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOWWWW!!!!!
There are several atrocities on this list
Uma is one hot mama , her dashing son is probably a few yrs short of being a pin up ala the Beckham boys.
Bellucci is gorgeous in tt intricate D&G gown!!! Goddess indeed!!
Uma's first look reminds me of what Sharon Stone wore to the Oscar ceremony a couple of decades ago. I believe it was a white button down and a wrap.
Troy -- totally. Emmanuelle Beart wore something very similar but didn't quite make this list.
Mareko -- it's Thurman-Hawke but i like the actresses to be most important so for me it's Hawke-Thurman :)
My favorite here is Victoria Abril. Still waiting for my two favorites of the festival, Tilda's hair and Dunst's cleavage.
I do not get it from the wording, so you will not include Nicole in this list cause she has her own fashion series??
And the flapper dress Uma wore at the closing ceremony has to be No. 1!
More Huppert please #NeverForgetElle
Thaaaaaank you for this elaborate post! I love it.
Craver -- sorry. that was a rewriting issue. I was originally not going to include her but in the end decided to include her so you'll see her in the top 35 gowns :)
Thurman's face has me worried always so individual and distinct now it's got that shiny hard hollywood look.
WOW - Binoche looks fabulous (and those are both great dresses).
Your Kim Min-hee complaint is another perfect distillation of why I love you.
Why is Eva Longoria at Cannes?