Fashion hits and misses at the Cannes Film Festival
Hollywood has descended on the Riviera for the Cannes Film (and luxury fashion) Festival.
It’s all about the jewels at Cannes, where Swiss jeweler Chopard has been an official sponsor for 17 years. And in honor of the festival’s 67 years, Chopard has created 67 one-of-a-kind high jewelry pieces that are being worn by celebrities during the festival’s almost two-week run.
The sparkle parade started Wednesday night, with the star-studded opening ceremony and premiere of Olivier Dahan’s film “Grace of Monaco.”
Model Karlie Kloss failed to impress with a lace Valentino dress that called out for a curtain rod, but her ethically sourced, Chopard Green Carpet Collection pear, round and marquise-shaped white diamond chandelier earrings set in fair-mined gold were a dazzling distraction.
Statement earrings were a big trend on opening night, and so was chic simplicity. Kendall Jenner stunned in a black Chanel gown with modern arty black-and-white overlay bodice and Chopard diamond cluster earrings. Zoe Saldana was also a vision in a pleated white Victoria Beckham gown with gold chain detail at the waist. And Gucci girl Blake Lively wore a Bordeaux pleated silk chiffon gown from the Premiere collection, with Lorraine Schwartz climbing vine earrings.
Paz Vega took the jewelry theme in a different direction, wearing a pearl-embellished Elie Saab Couture column gown in a modern-looking shorter length (and Chopard diamond drop earrings). Nicole Kidman, who stars in the “Grace of Monaco” film that’s being almost universally panned, wore an Armani Prive gown with a bustier encrusted in crystal baguettes and pearls (and Harry Winston diamond line earrings).
Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi always makes edgy choices, and her festival premiere gown was no exception: a Stephane Rolland Couture creation with a sci-fi black patent sculptural top, combined with a draped white, goddess-like skirt.
The festival continues through May 25. And if last year’s event was dominated by Dior and its seaside Cruise show overlooking the Mediterranean, this year’s seems poised to be dominated by Louis Vuitton, also a crown jewel in the Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy luxury conglomerate.
Vuitton’s new creative director, Nicolas Ghesquiere, dressed French actress Adele Exarchopoulos for the opening ceremony in a custom white wool crepe and black leather Louis Vuitton gown that borrowed design elements from his fall 2014 ready-to-wear runway collection.
Over the weekend, Ghesquiere will divert attention from film to fashion by hosting the first Vuitton Cruise collection runway show just up the Cote D’Azur in Monaco, playing up the brand’s historic relationship to travel and the principality. The show is to be held on “the Rock” in Palace Square, which is known for its famous changing of the Carabinieri guard and for being the home of Monaco’s ruling Grimaldi clan.
Apparently, Vuitton’s first commission for the Monaco royal family was a crocodile garment bag created in 1904. In 1997, the “Malicieux bag” was created to celebrate 700 years of Monaco princes and to pay tribute to Francois Grimaldi, known as “Le Malicieux,” who seized “the Rock,” or fortress, in 1297.
