Cannes Fashion Recap

Matthew Wexler READ TIME: 4 MIN.

Cannes' red carpet can be as kind as it is cruel when it comes to fashion.

For 12 days, major Hollywood actresses such as Marion Cotillard, Emily Blunt, Naomi Watts and Sienna Miller graced the film festival's red carpet in clothes designed by the world's greatest. Yet while the best looks come to define the festival, there's almost as much interest in who got it wrong.

Here are the 68th Cannes Film Festival's fashion hits and misses.

EMILY BLUNT
Blunt has Stella McCartney to thank for her shimmering coup at the "Sicario" premiere, alongside co-stars Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin. Embroidered jewels gave the sophisticated, covered-up look a weight that oozed old-school Hollywood glamour yet sparkled with sporty simplicity.

TONI GARRN AND JOURDAN DUNN
German model Toni Garrn looked every part the princess at the premiere of "The Little Prince" - bringing a touch of little mermaid to the Cannes red carpet in a sparkly, swanky silver gown with bare shoulders and a crossover cutaway midriff. Garrn, alongside a ravishing Jourdan Dunn in black Ralph & Russo couture, upstaged the film's bigger star, Marion Cotillard, who wore a powder blue Dior that creased clumsily at the midriff.

MARION COTILLARD
It was not Cotillard's strongest year in the fashion parade - but the Dior brand ambassador fared well in a blue-and-rose truncated minidress from Dior's haute couture spring-summer 2015 collection at the premiere of director Justin Kurzel's "Macbeth." She sparkled alongside co-star Michael Fassbender, thanks to the outfit's myriad of embroidered paillettes and jewels. The Oscar-winner, who's known for her fashion-forward style, bucked the trend for classical va-va-voom and voluminous dresses that were popular this year at Cannes.

KENDALL JENNER
Model-of-the-minute Kendall Jenner impressed critics with her bold Alaia look at the premiere of Paolo Sorrentino's "Youth." The 19-year-old pulled off a difficult look - a billowing skirt and an exposed midriff - with panache. She accessorized the look with Alaia gladiator sandals and a diamond bib necklace.

LARA STONE
Another model with style success was Lara Stone who turned up for the "Youth" premiere in a sexy, granite Atelier Versace couture dress with a V-neck cut. The shimmering petrol color contrasted stylishly with her white-blond hair and soft makeup.

SIENNA MILLER
Jury member Miller had a cinematic comeback this year - after roles in "American Sniper" and "Foxcatcher" - but it was an off year for her on the Cannes red carpet. Misses included an oversize, shapeless black look by Sonia Rykiel at the "Carol" premiere, and a blush layered gown that some compared to curtains at the "Macbeth" premiere.

IRINA SHAYK
Model Irina Shayk got attention for all the wrong reasons when she arrived for the "Sicario" screening in a garish, gold Atelier Versace dress with a split leg. The dress's huge shimmering train and gold strip detailing jarred with the other premiere attendees who opted for more subtle styles.

NAOMI WATTS
It was a mixed bag for Oscar-nominee Watts. She thrilled at the Cannes Film Festival opening in a beautiful powder gray gown by Oscar de la Renta, with diaphanous embroidered feathers on the skirt and glittering jewels on the revealing bodice. But she appeared later in a dubious black gown by Peter Pilotto that had an uneven skirt at "The Sea of Trees."

NATALIE PORTMAN
Natalie Portman's directorial debut "A Tale of Love and Darkness" did not fare well with critics, nor did the rather mature-looking, limp Rodarte dress she wore to the film's photo call. The asymmetrical skirt looked off-kilter with the symmetry of the upper part.

CHARLOTTE VANDERMEERSCH
Actress Charlotte Vandermeersch raised eyebrows on the red carpet for her "The Little Prince" outfit, a mismatched ensemble of bright blue pants and a black top. There was little right with the look - from the garish sheer zones near her bust to the oversized harem pants.


by Matthew Wexler

Matthew Wexler is EDGE's Senior Editor, Features & Branded Content. More of his writing can be found at www.wexlerwrites.com. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @wexlerwrites.

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