Why Cannes Still Can't Quite Let Go Of The High Heel, Literally

Few places on earth treat a staircase with as much seriousness as the Cannes Film Festival. At the Palais des Festivals, the famous red-carpet steps are not merely an entrance. They are theatre. 

For nearly 80 years, Cannes has sold itself as the pinnacle of cinematic sophistication. The Croisette is where couture meets cinema, where luxury houses compete for headlines, and where a red carpet can become just as talked about as the films themselves. Naturally, the dress code has always mattered. Perhaps a bit too much.

This year, however, one pair of shoes once again stole attention from the gowns.

When actor and filmmaker Kristen Stewart arrived at the premiere of Full Phil at the 79th Cannes Film Festival on Sunday, she skipped traditional red-carpet heels entirely. Instead, she paired her intricate red and black Chanel gown with black canvas trainers, white socks peeking through, turning one of the world's most formal carpets into yet another quiet act of rebellion.

Not Her First Time

Stewart's latest Cannes appearance did not come out of nowhere. Over the years, she has practically built a side-legacy around rejecting the festival's unwritten obsession with heels.

Back in 2018, while serving as a jury member, she kicked off her Christian Louboutin heels midway up the Palais steps at the premiere of BlacKkKlansman, in what many interpreted as a direct protest against the festival's footwear expectations.

Kristen Stewart, back in 2018, kicked off her Christian Louboutin heels midway on the red carpet. Photo: AFP

This year, too, Stewart simply refused to pretend. At Cannes this year, she arrived in sneakers, styling vintage sporty footwear with Chanel couture. 

So, What Exactly Is Cannes's Issue With Flats?

Technically, Cannes no longer bans flat shoes.

That is the important distinction.

The festival's current guidelines for gala screenings at the Grand Theatre Lumiere explicitly allow "elegant shoes and sandals with or without a heel". In other words, women are finally permitted to wear formal flats.

But sneakers? Absolutely not.

The official Cannes dress code still prohibits trainers on the red carpet, placing them in the same category as oversized bags and overly casual attire. Cannes's reasoning is fairly straightforward: the festival sees itself as a black-tie institution rooted in old-world glamour, and sneakers symbolise the exact opposite. Comfort. Casualness. Streetwear. Everyday life.

For organisers, allowing polished flats is one thing. Allowing trainers risks disrupting the 'visual fantasy Cannes carefully curates every year'.

The irony, of course, is that many modern luxury sneakers now cost more than formal heels.

How Cannes Became Obsessed With 'Glamour'

To understand the shoe drama, it helps to understand Cannes itself.

Founded in 1946, the Cannes Film Festival was created partly as an artistic alternative to politically influenced European festivals of the era. Over time, it evolved into the most prestigious film festival in the world, where cinema, fashion and celebrity culture merged into one enormous global spectacle.

Cannes Film Festival was founded in 1946. Photo: X

By the 1950s and 1960s, Cannes had become synonymous with Riviera glamour. Stars arrived in tuxedos, satin gowns, opera gloves and diamonds. The festival's image relied heavily on aspiration and exclusivity. Even now, much of its branding depends on preserving that polished mystique.

The red carpet was never meant to look elevated.

That is why seemingly small details, like footwear, became symbolic. High heels represented 'formality, femininity and discipline' within this carefully constructed aesthetic. Sneakers, meanwhile, 'belonged to the street'.

The Flatgate Controversy

The festival's shoe politics exploded publicly in 2015.

Several women reportedly claimed they were denied entry to a screening of Carol because they were wearing flats instead of heels. The backlash was immediate. Critics accused Cannes of enforcing sexist and exclusionary standards, particularly against older women and those physically unable to wear stilettos comfortably.

The incident became known online as "Flatgate".

The gala organisers later clarified that heels were never officially mandatory and stated that its hosts had been reminded of the rules. But by then, the damage was done.

And celebrities began responding.

When Celebs Started Protesting

Julia Roberts

In 2016, Roberts attended the premiere of Money Monster barefoot. The image instantly became iconic. The gesture became a subtle but unmistakable rejection of restrictive glamour.

In 2016, Julia Roberts attended the premiere of Money Monster barefoot. Photo: X

Kristen Stewart

No celebrity has challenged Cannes' shoe culture more consistently. Whether barefoot, in flats or now sneakers, Stewart has repeatedly questioned why women alone are expected to suffer for elegance. She first did in 2018, she did it again this year.

Jennifer Lawrence

At the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, Lawrence wore flip-flops beneath her sweeping Dior gown while navigating the Palais stairs. The contrast between couture drama and practical footwear instantly went viral.

At Cannes in 2023, Jennifer Lawrence wore flip-flops. Photo: Getty Images

Sasha Lane

Lane went barefoot during a Cannes photocall, later explaining that comfort simply mattered more after a long day navigating stairs and appearances.

The Rules Have Changed, Only Slightly

Cannes today is softer than it was a decade ago, but not radically different.

Women can now officially wear 'elegant flats'. That alone marks a significant shift from the years when heels were effectively treated as mandatory. Yet the festival still polices the broader idea of formality very aggressively.

The updated 2025-2026 guidelines also cracked down on sheer "naked dressing", oversized gowns with dramatic trains, and anything deemed disruptive to the event's decorum. Men are still expected to follow black-tie standards. Sneakers remain banned.

While Cannes may have relaxed the heel requirement, it has not completely abandoned its 'sole' philosophy: the red carpet must continue looking aspirational, luxurious and tightly controlled.

That is why Stewart's trainers still feel rebellious even now.

The Real Question

The sneaker debate is ultimately about more than shoes.

It reflects a broader cultural tension between old-school glamour and modern individuality. Cannes belongs to an era where elegance meant discomfort, precision and rigid presentation. But contemporary celebrity culture increasingly values authenticity, ease and personal expression.

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