Heels were once mandatory at CannesFilmFestival—should they still be?
It’s one of the Cannes Film Festival’s most memorable red carpet moments: In 2018, actor Kristen Stewart was attending the festival’s premiere ofwhen she ditched her sky-high Christian Louboutin pumps midway through walking the step-and-repeat. The move instantly made headlines. The festival has a long-standing, though unofficial, rule that women must wear heels on the carpet, and many saw Stewart’s impromptu undressing as an act of defiance.
As someone who’s navigated the Cannes carpet many times, Sevigny says she understands the allure of heels on it. “I love wearing heels and it helps me feel more powerful. To me, it’s part of the joy of dressing—to wear something you don’t wear every day,” Sevigny says. “But I also think a flat is very chic. The rule should just be dress shoes.” Top Hollywood stylists agree with Sevigny’s take, but based on their experiences at the festival, many stars would actually rather be in a heel.
From a fashion perspective, maybe the most compelling reason to do away with the custom for good is that it feels a bit behind the times. For a few seasons now, designers have proposed grounded footwear that is more fitting for modern, sophisticated women. At