We’re down to the final weekend of the Cannes Film Festival now, and the past week has been a strong indication that the artistry of traditional cinema isn’t dimming despite the rise of streaming services.
Held annually in Cannes, France, the festival is about recognizing the best of the film industry, and while there are a few favorites in the running for the Palme d’Or (the highest prize that the organization hands out), it’s anyone’s guess at this point. Between Pedro Almodovar’s autobiographical Pain and Glory, Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Jim Jarmusch’s odd zombie comedy, The Dead Don’t Die, and 16 other films that are just as well-regarded, Cannes jury president Alejandro González Iñárritu and his panel are going to have a rough time.
But we aren’t about to launch a series of predictions about who’s going to win. We’re here to talk about the celebrities who are already winners in the wardrobe department. The Cannes Film Festival has a famously strict dress code, which usually means tuxedos and gala wear for both men and women. It’s been known to turn down people who don’t stick to the protocol, and Kristen Stewart even made the news last year for taking her shoes off to protest their heels-only policy. Still, there’s a bit of wiggle room to show some personality even in the strictest of dress codes, and some celebrities clearly know how to move around in that tiny space. Out of the red carpet, though, things are a little more relaxed, but eyes are sharp in Cannes this time of year, and the spotlight’s on everyone as they dress up for the French Riviera.
Hollywood Gods: Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio
Trust Brad and Leo to bring their A-game in the tuxedo department. The two are A-listers for a reason, and they know when to go all-out and when to rein it in, both in style and on the big screen. Choosing to go all-in on the classics isn’t a bad choice, and it’s their personalities that really bring these ensembles to life.
Off the red carpet, they went with more easygoing outfits for the French Riviera, sporting Garret Leight specs to manage the sunlight.
Rocketman Taron Egerton
Taron Egerton’s lead role as Elton John in Rocketman—the musical biopic that’s drawing comparisons to Bohemian Rhapsody—might be influencing his style. Rocketman premiered in Cannes to a very warm reception and Egerton brought part of Elton John’s spirit to the occasion, decked out in a full paisley suit by Etro. The simple, solid gray shirt keeps it from being over-the-top and a pair of black lace-up brogue boots finishes the look. It takes serious guts to pull something like this off, but after playing one of the most flamboyant singers in history (and wearing the outlandish outfits that go with the role), this is likely just a cakewalk for Egerton at this point.
Here he is at the Cannes premiere, looking a little bit more like his working-class-pleb-turned-secret-agent character from the Kingsman franchise in a Tom Ford smoking jacket. It’s a little bit flashier than your usual gala attire, but still very much in line with the dress code.
Egerton didn’t skimp on the style at the airport either, wearing a velour bomber jacket paired with jeans and plain white sneakers.
The King: Richard Madden
Cannes isn’t quite the North, but Richard Madden went and owned it anyway. He may not have survived to the end of the Game of Thrones, but he’s not slowing down either, with Bodyguard (his show on Netflix) constantly being nominated for awards. Madden didn’t stray too far from the classics, and here he wears a double-breasted Dior Neoclassical suit, with a floral shirt to keep things casual.
The red carpet saw him in a white tuxedo, and it works especially well because of the silver streaks in his hair. Goes to show that you don’t really need to dye when the grays come out. You just have to get the right clothes to match.
Creature of the night: Robert Pattinson
Dropping by Cannes to promote his new film, The Lighthouse, Robert Pattinson was a little adventurous in his choice of clothing. It’s usually a hit-or-miss thing with him, and he was in the news last January for his strange choice of jacket in Paris Fashion Week. This shiny jacket is a little bold, but Pattinson pulls it off with a solid black everything-else. Besides, he’s set to become the new Batman, so black might be the order of the day, though he might want to tone down the shine when he hits the streets of Gotham.
On the more formal end, here he is in a Dior suit, paired with a graphic shirt that makes the entire outfit pop. Pattinson is one of the faces of Dior and he does bring that sleek, not-quite-street quality out pretty well.
Villainous Miles Teller
Probably the best of the bunch, Miles Teller walked around Cannes looking like a villain from Crime Scene Investigation: Miami in a YSL Cuban shirt. But he didn’t stop there. Teller went all-in and threw in a David Yurman gold chain on his neck, Bruno Magli loafers, a signet ring on his finger, and an Omega on his wrist. The ‘80s pornstache is a nice touch, too. How’s that for commitment?
On the red carpet, he’s a bit more polished in a Celine by Hedi Slimane. Fortunately, the mustache still works. Even in a setting stacked with star power, Teller and the rest of the guys in this list managed to stand out with a little bit of classic, a dose of the unexpected, and a whole lot of personality.
