Some rules were made to be broken, especially, it seems, in Cannes, where celebrities have defied the festival's "explicit" no nudity rules by continuing to embrace the 'naked dress' trend.
In 2025, the Cannes Film Festival enforced dress code rules, prohibiting nudity on the red carpet and "any other area of the festival" for "decency reasons."
That rule includes the celebrity-favored 'naked' dress, defined by barely-there materials such as sheer mesh, tulle, lace, or crystals, that create the illusion of nudity while clothed.
"The aim is not to regulate attire per se, but to prohibit full nudity on the red carpet, in accordance with the institutional framework of the event and French law," a statement from the festival read.
While some guests, like Demi Moore, have abided by the dress code, others have ignored it completely or challenged the rules in semi-sheer fabrics.
See below for the celebrities wearing rule-breaking dresses at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.
© Getty ImagesChloé Zhao wearing Gabriela Hearst
Chloé Zhao
Hamnet director Chloé Zhao, who's a member of the Cannes jury this year, wasted no time breaking the rules and appeared on stage during the opening ceremony of the festival on May 12 in a black silk, knit, and lace dress by Gabriela Hearst that featured floral and ruffled detailing.
© Getty ImagesJordana Brewster wearing Roberto Cavalli
Jordana Brewster
Jordana Brewster took the 'naked dress' trend and ran with it at the May 13 screening of The Fast And The Furious, which was selected for Cannes Classics. The actress wore a black lace Roberto Cavalli dress, featuring sheer lace paneling on the side, running from under the bust to the ankle.
© Getty ImagesKristen Stewart wearing Chanel
Kristen Stewart
Kristen Stewart loves to defy Cannes' strict dress code, and her appearance this year was no exception. For the photocall of her new comedy Full Phil, on May 16, she wore a sheer gray Chanel two-piece layered over a skin-tone top and shorts, which, according to her stylist, Tara Swennen, made the outfit look "more revealing than it was."
© Mondadori Portfolio via Getty ImNatasha Poly wearing Ferragamo
Natasha Poly
Supermodel Natasha Poly embraced nudity in her sheer black Ferragamo gown at the May 16 red carpet for El Ser Querido (The Beloved). Nathasa wore nothing to protect her modesty in the striking gown, which also boasted a plunging neckline.
© Getty ImagesRiley Keough wearing Chanel
Riley Keough
Riley Keough seemingly ignored the rules and arrived on the red carpet at the Histoires Parallèles (Parallel Tales) premiere on May 14 in a sheer, blush organza two-piece from Chanel's 2026 spring collection. The actress's rule-breaking set featured a loose shirt and a matching skirt, both with embellished trimmings, that exposed her lingerie underneath.
© WireImageDaisy Edgar-Jones wearing Balenciaga
Daisy Edgar-Jones
Daisy Edgar-Jones bent the rules in Balenciaga, wearing a dress sculpted from nude chiffon and illusion mesh, with cleverly placed silver sequins that distracted from the top half's see-through sections at the May 18 screening of Fjord.
© Getty ImagesEmma Mackey wearing Louis Vuitton
Emma Mackey
An honorable mention goes to Sex Education star Emma Mackey, who turned heads at the May 16 Full Phil premiere in a white Louis Vuitton two-piece draped dress, featuring a striking open-front design that left little to the imagination.
