Footwear, and other oddities, on the Cannes red carpet

[On the cover: Cindy Mello in Alberta Ferretti and Giuseppe Zanotti’s shoes (photo Getty Images)]

An abundance of clothes, where above all red and black prevailed, on the Cannes red carpet which, as always, is a competition not only for cinema, but also for fashion. The battle was between American and European couturiers, where ‘Made in Italy’ won in style.

Footwear completes the look, clearly visible through slits and gaps in dresses, or just hinted at under hems that hug the ground or under long trains. Naturally, the palme d’or goes to the high heels which were on the feet of most celebs. Among the ‘Made in Italy’ brands that walked the red carpet, Giuseppe Zanotti, the true footwear star at this edition of Cannes, dressed many actresses in sandals, slingbacks, and high-heeled pumps hoisted on vertiginous heels, mitigated in some models with high wedges.

Loriblu also accessorised the guests’ dresses, on the Croisette or in the many corollary parties of the film week, with models in 140mm heels and 40mm platforms, born from the collaboration with the stylist Kristina Askerova. Sandals with an ankle strap were also used by the Jimmy Choo brand that accompanied Natalie Portman in all her outings during her stay in the French city. Ferragamo, on the other hand, was chosen by some actors who opted for black leather ankle boots.

If we said that the high heel was the star of the show, some extravaganzas that celebs indulged in also attracted attention. For example, Jennifer Lawrence wore a pair of rubber flip flops under a red Dior dress, and what about Isabelle Huppert’s ‘non-shoes’ that at first glance made you think that the actress was barefoot? Instead, it was Balenciaga’s nude-effect shoes, with a high heel, from the Autumn-Winter 2023/24 collection, accompanied by a beautiful dress, also designed by creative director Demna Gvasalia. Cate Blanchett, queen of style, at the Golden Globe Awards Variety party took off her shoes, declaring that she wanted to send a message to all those who hinder and trample on women’s rights. Much more than a claim in the name of comfort!