The Best Cannes Looks, From Princess Diana to Grace Kelly

Princess Diana at the Cannes Film Festival wearing a blue strapless dress with a sash around the neck.

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Did you think we were done reporting on red carpets for the year? Think again! After successfully making it through the Hollywood award season spanning January to March, we then shone the spotlight on New York's finest 2024 Met Gala looks this month. Next up on the agenda is the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival running from May 14 to 25.

I wanted to take this opportunity to revisit my all-time favorite Cannes red carpet looks. Naturally, this includes historical photos from the '50s, '60s, '70s, and '80s and icons such as Princess Diana, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, and Sophia Loren. More recently, Bella Hadid, Viola Davis, Priyanka Chopra, and Lupita Nyong'o are among those who topped my list of the event's most memorable fashion moments. Scroll down to see all the photos.

Bella Hadid wears a sculpture of a pair of lungs as a necklace with a black gown at the Cannes Film Festival.

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Schiaparelli's sculptural brass necklace was made to look like the pulmonary veins of human lungs. Hadid completed the 2021 look with a sleek black gown also made by Schiaparelli.

Sophia Loren wearing a strapless gown with black elbow-length gloves at theCannes Film Festival.

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Sophia Loren dressed like Hollywood royalty for the 1955 Cannes Film Festival.

Madonna wears a cone bra and a matching skirt at the Cannes Film Festival.

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Madonna partied it up for the premiere of her film In Bed With Madonna during the 1991 Cannes Film Festival.

Princess Diana wears a light blue strapless gown with a matching sash around her neck at the Cannes Film Festival.

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This iconic image of Princess Diana in 1987 is Getty Images' most downloaded Cannes Film Festival photo of all time.

Audrey Hepburn wearing white gloves and an A-line gown at the Cannes Film Festival.

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Hepburn got dolled up for the festival in 1960, wearing opera-length white gloves and an embellished gown.

Priyanka Chopra wears a voluminous white gown with three layers at the Cannes Film Festival.

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Chopra's 2019 Cannes Film Festival bridal-worthy dress by Georges Hobeika is forever etched into my brain. She completed the look with a necklace and earrings by Chopard, the official partner of the festival.

Grace Kelly wearing a fur stole and a long gown at the Cannes Film Festival.

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Kelly looked every bit the princess wearing a fur stole at the 1955 Cannes Film Festival.

Lupita Nyong'o twirls in a green pleated gown at the Cannes Film Festival.

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Who could forget Nyong'o's 2015 twirl seen 'round the world?

Brigitte Bardot runs on the beach wearing a midi dress at the Cannes Film Festival.

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Frolicking on the beach never looked so chic. Brigitte Bardot enjoyed the South of France sunshine back in 1956.

Viola Davis wearing a yellow off-the-shoulder gown at the Cannes Film Festival.

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Davis cemented her Cannes queen status with this Alexander McQueen dress in 2022.

Elle Fanning wears a wide-brim hat with a white blouse and an A-line black midi skirt at the Cannes Film Festival.

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In 2019, Elle Fanning looked like a '50s fashion icon wearing an outfit by Dior.

Jane Birkin wears a straw bucket bag and a flapper-style dress at the Cannes Film Festival.

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Jane Birkin brought her signature basket bag to Cannes in 1974.

Jennifer Lawrence wears flip-flops with a red gown at the Cannes Film Festival.

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Jennifer Lawrence memorably ditched heels in favor of flip-flops on the red carpet in 2023.

Anne Hathaway wearing a white gown with a white cape at the Cannes Film Festival.

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Anne Hathaway looked like the Princess of Genovia at the 2022 festival, wearing an Armani Privé dress and Bulgari jewelry.

Marilyn Monroe wears a fur stole and a strapless dress at the Cannes Film Festival.

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A best-of list wouldn't be complete without Marilyn Monroe, pictured here in Cannes in 1955.

Lori Harvey wearing a yellow dress at the Cannes Film Festival.

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Lori Harvey's sunshine-yellow Alexandre Vauthier dress and Messika jewelry from 2022 completely stole the show.

Associate Director, Fashion News

Erin got her start as a Who What Wear intern over 12 years ago—back when the site only published a single story per day. (Who What Wear has since increased that number twentyfold.) She graduated magna cum laude from USC, which is how she ended up moving to Los Angeles from her hometown of San Diego. In college, she also interned at Refinery29, where she was promoted to editorial assistant and then assistant editor. After nearly three years at R29, she came back to WWW in 2016, where she currently holds the title of Associate Director of Fashion News (as well as the unofficial title of resident royal expert—in case you haven't noticed her numerous Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton stories). She spends her days trying to incorporate her idols, Anna Wintour and Roger Federer, into as many stories as possible. Outside of work, she loves tennis, classic rock, traveling, and smothering her dog with affection.