Sneakers on Cannes red carpet

These days people didn’t really talk about the sumptuous gowns worn by the starlets on the red carpet of Cannes Film Festival. Perhaps they were too banal, the legacy of an ancient elegance stereotype.

Kristen Stewart was the only one to get noticed. The 26-year old Californian actress walked (several times) the red carpet wearing a pair of sneakers, matched with a Chanel total look – the brand she is Ambassador for.

Matter of comfort or will to subvert the rules?

Just last year the French Festival raised controversy because of its policy that forces women to wear high heels to access the film premieres at the Palais: a lady who tried to enter Carol’s projection wearing (rhinestone) flats was not let in, even if it was because of her medical conditions.  

“Things have to change immediately” Stewart said during an interview with Indiewire. “It has become really obvious that if [a man and I] were walking the red carpet together and someone stopped me and said, ‘Excuse me, young lady, you’re not wearing heels. You cannot come in.’ Then [I’m going to say], ‘Neither is my friend. Does he have to wear heels?’ It can work both ways. It’s just like you simply cannot ask me to do something that you are not asking him. I get the black-tie thing but you should be able to do either version—flats or heels”. A precise accusation that sheds light on the sexism that still dominates the entertainment industry in many of its aspects, from the most formal to the most intrinsic ones.

While we hope that the organisers of the Festival will review their (obsolete) policy, we cannot help but say that Kristen, with her dirty Vans and her new platinum bob, has been the sexiest woman in Cannes this year.