What They’re Wearing in: Cannes, France
What They’re Wearing in: Cannes, France
By: Kaitlyn Steinroeder
Cannes, France is a resort town in the French Riviera known for its beaches, luxury atmosphere, and its annual film festival. Every year for two weeks, this coastal town transforms into the film epicenter of the world. Industry professionals, actors, and aspiring filmmakers flock from every corner of the earth to celebrate the art form that incorporates all other art forms: film. Fashion at the festival is almost as important as the films themselves. With so many creative people in one place, there is no shortage of looks that turn heads.
Square’s Creative Planner Kaitlyn Steinroeder reports on what the next generation is wearing in France after spending time abroad attending the Cannes Film Festival.
The streets of Cannes are lined with every luxury store known to man, and then some. Running parallel with the Mediterranean Sea, the Boulevard de la Croisette is a window-shopper's paradise. With red carpet events happening every day, fashion icons –known and unknown to the public –sport gowns crafted with care. These icons were almost always followed by an entourage of assistants or a camera crew vying to know anything and everything about the looks.
While these iconic and luxurious looks they wore were the moment, I wanted to focus on the outfits of the young locals and everyday festival-goers. The clothing that will not be found spread across every major fashion publication. Instead, the ones that express a youthful and new artistic generation, who in twenty years may be the next icons of Cannes.
Among dozens of moviegoers, a young girl leaned against the doors of a very crowded bus. She appears to be no older than sixteen and was most likely a local using the bus to get home. Standing with presence and headphones atop her hair streaked with icy blue highlights, she stared out at the crowd. She wore mom jeans and an orange cami top with a sleeveless white linen button-up on top. For shoes, she wore a pair of the adidas Originals x Sean Wotherspoon SUPEREARTH sneakers. Her outfit, completed by an excess of jewelry, exhibited her youth. Each piece looked handmade; bracelets screaming summer with friends and necklaces that looked as if they had been collected with purpose. What stood out the most about this young girl was her intense confidence. She could have easily been the inspiration for a teenager in an animated short.
At a kiosk by the beach, a girl wearing a chainmail material top ordered what I am going to pretend was a crepe. Her hair was effortlessly tossed and messy like a young rockstar, and she wore black flare pants with a little bit of texture along the sides paired with platform Doc Martens, which seemed to be a trendy shoe brand amongst young festival attendees. I saw a lot of this effortless rockstar, or ‘I run in the same circle as a rockstar’ looks throughout the festival. Certified cool girl, if you will. Soft, vintage-looking midi and maxi dresses paired with leather boots and edgy accessories acted as the uniform for more casual film events.
As I waited in line for the premiere of Elvis, I noticed a pair of young friends walking along the promenade next to me. Through a sea of models in beautiful gowns, they emerged, minding their business, not phased by the glitz and glamor of their surroundings. Both girls matched in their Y2K-inspired looks. They wore low-rise jeans, white sneakers, and white tank tops. The only difference between the outfits was their zebra print tote bags. One girl had the classic black and white, while the other had neon green. The 90s and Y2K revival looks were very prominent throughout the streets of Cannes, especially among the youth.
Plenty of young girls walked through the streets with a more toned-down, Calvin Klein-inspired look, taking inspiration from the era with their vintage jeans and white tanks. Hair slicked back into the perfect pony, gold jewelry, and sunglasses that, even if you weren't important, made you look like you were.
I can confidently say that I have never seen this quantity of men dress with such quality. Every night, the streets would be flooded with men in suits and formal wear, ready for premieres. During the day, men had a little more freedom to express themselves with their clothing. Vintage store finds were popular. A Stüssy t-shirt could be seen paired with baggy cargo pants. Oversized button-ups that could fit into the wardrobe of someone’s dad or grandpa were styled to stay cool. My favorite piece I saw on the streets of Cannes was a pair of oversized vintage jorts that a man was wearing.
The Cannes Film Festival got me excited about the future. New art, films, and fashion are coming our way, and the generation creating this art is as eager as ever. The young filmmakers and film-lovers I met and observed during my time at Cannes all possess something special: it's the confidence to wear what they want and be who they want to be. They have a presence when they walk the streets and speak. They know who they want to become, and they know they will get there.
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Photos by Kaitlyn Steinroeder and sourced from Pinterest.