Since attending her first Cannes Film Festival back in 2012, actor and director Kristen Stewart has become one of the event’s main red carpet fixtures. There is a heightened sense of glamour and extravagance that comes with attending the event, and over the years, she and stylist Tara Swennen have leaned into the challenge by delivering many, many memorable looks—from silvery Chanel couture (the year she famously removed her Louboutins!), to pink tweed skirt suits. “I love Cannes because it’s a world stage—it draws more attention than a lot of other festivals or red carpets,” Swennen tells Vogue. “Besides the Oscars—where I do think there’s a little bit of restraint—Cannes really nurtures a mixture of glamour, art, and beauty. People really take the opportunity to go big.”
This year, then, Stewart and Swennen were ready to deliver yet another winning Cannes wardrobe, one to match Stewart’s buzzy new project. In town to promote the Quentin Dupieux film Full Phil, in which she stars alongside Woody Harrelson and Emma Mackey, Stewart brought two striking, high-spirited outfits to the Cannes carpet this weekend.
And as an enduring face for Chanel, it’s no surprise that they were both courtesy of the French label. “There is a beautiful relationship between Kristen, Chanel, and Matthieu Blazy, because she activates his pieces in a different way,” says Swennen. “He’s really loosened Chanel up. When you look at his clothes, the tweeds are a little lighter, the tailoring is slouchier, and the silhouettes feel a little less rigid and lived-in. That is very much the arena that Kristen likes to live in.”
For the film’s photo call this weekend, Stewart first venture onto the Cannes Croisette saw her sporting a sheer gray “tweed” top and skirt from Chanel’s spring 2026 couture collection. “It was a lightweight take on a classic tweed. It had these frayed edges and jeweled buttons—we loved the delicacy of it, and the tension of the sheerness,” says Swennen. Though the look appeared totally-transparent, turns out, it was all an optical illusion. “It actually had these little boy shorts underneath, and a tiny, delicate camisole, so it looked more revealing than it was,” says Swennen.
Later in the evening, Stewart slipped into a more evening-ready option—a red and black knit Chanel gown from Blazy’s fall 2026 collection. “I loved the color. We just threw it on, it fit perfectly,” says Swennen. “It had these delicate crochet leaves. It felt very Chanel—but very modern and cool.”
Stewart also opted to forgo her signature makeup look. “I love that she went a little bit different in her glam as well,” Swennen says. “You don’t normally see a red lip on her, and it worked really well with her new pixie cut.” They finished off the graphic ensemble with Chanel’s High Jewelry pieces, including an itty-bitty red timepiece.
Punctuating both her daytime and nighttime looks? A signature Stewart touch: comfy sneakers by both Nike and Converse, directly plucked from the star’s own wardrobe. “We wanted to have a youthful and effortless vibe, but also have it be grounded in real movement, rather than polished perfection,” says Swennen. “It had a sophistication, but also was a bit rebellious.”
Such a footwear choice was an intriguing one, given Cannes still holds a strict dress code that discourages flat shoes, as well as sheer and voluminous designs. For Swennen, the (somewhat archaic) Cannes dressing rules are something to consider—but both she and Stewart clearly love pushing the envelope. “If it’s not trashy and people remain polished, I think [the rules are] malleable,” says Swennen. “Now, there are plenty of people circumventing the dress code—whether it be heels or transparency. It’s nice that there’s a loosening up of it. People should feel free to go and enjoy themselves and promote their art—and be authentic to themselves.”
Having worked with Stewart since she was 14, Swennen says such an attitude is precisely why the duo continue love working together. They both see red carpet dressing as an opportunity for self-expression and individuality. “It’s the ultimate collaboration, because she’s never afraid to try new things, which is great because I love a good challenge,” says Swennen. “For me, it really is always about embodying your authentic self wherever you go. She looks her best when the clothes feel instinctive to her. She never wants to feel over-rehearsed. The one thing I’ve learned about this woman is she is always going to be effortlessly cool.”
While the star’s whirlwind Cannes trip is already coming to a close (she’s back to filming her next project), Swennen says you will be seeing Stewart on a red carpet again very soon—this is not the end of their stellar France run, by any means. In late June, Stewart will be acting as the president for the Biarritz Nouvelles Vagues Festival in France. “We had virtual fittings for that while she was in Cannes,” says Swennen, hinting that “French Cruise” will be the sartorial vibe. This summer, Stewart will also be promoting her wife Dylan Meyer’s new film, The Wrong Girls, and she’s also working on a new TV show. The Stewart-Swennen partnership stays serving, all summer long.
