Cannes red carpet retrospective: The top 10 best dressed celebs in the film festival’s history
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Beyond the foamy curtain of the Côte d’Azur lays the scene of cinema’s annual cult gathering—Cannes, a festival like no other. It is an event that has captivated audiences for the past 67 years with its unique and intoxicating brand of Mediterranean glamour.
Besotted by champagne soaked parties, historic hotels, and delectable French fare, it is a veritable paradise of indulgences for the beautiful, rich, and famous (which is at least what reading Assouline books on the topic will lead you to believe). The level of exclusivity on the Cannes red carpet guarantees that only a negligible percentage of the population will ever be granted access beyond its velvet ropes, which of course only adds to its prestigious reputation.
As a spectator, watching the ascent of the stars on the Palais steps is a fantastic means of vicariously experiencing the hyperbolic pageantry to surround the film mecca. For nearly seven decades, the festival’s ever-present flash of paparazzi bulbs has immortalized countless gowns that have made their debut on its red carpet. Here, we take a look at some of the most iconic moments to have defined and preserved its illustrious legacy.
Photography by AGIP/RDA/Getty Images
Cannes Red Carpet Sophia Loren 1954
Sophia Loren, 1954 The original queen of the Cannes circuit, Sophia Loren caused a stir among Festival photographers wherever she went, even managing to turn a simple act like reclining on a beach chair into a full-blown photo opp. Here, counters the primness of her pleated nautical style dress by hiking it up to reveal a hint of salacious shin (scandalous by 1950s standards, no doubt).
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