What nobody tells you about the presence of Chanel at the Cannes festival

After making a splash on the red carpet at the Oscars last March by dressing Margaret Qualley, Lupita Nyong’o and Lily Rose Depp, and even earlier at the Césars with Marion Cotillard’s sheer dress, Chanel is returning to the world of cinema on this opening day of the Cannes Film Festival—but not in the way you might expect. Beyond dressing our favorite actresses for premieres and other promotional events, Chanel has, for several years now, been making its mark at the heart of film production, from costume design to film restoration, while also providing steadfast support for a new generation of filmmakers. This year, the house on rue Cambon has been directly or indirectly involved in the making of four feature films presented at Cannes.

The first film to receive Chanel’s participation is Nouvelle Vague, directed by Richard Linklater, which traces the making of Jean-Luc Godard’s cult film Breathless and the birth of the French New Wave movement in the late 1950s. Actress Zoey Deutch, who plays Jean Seberg in the film, shot her scenes wearing Chanel accessories, including one of the film’s main looks created by the house. While Chanel’s role in this film was limited to styling, its support for Kristen Stewart—another Nouvelle Vague actress and Chanel ambassador since 2013—goes further: the house also supports her first feature as a director, The Chronology of Water, premiering globally in the festival’s *Un Certain Regard* section. For this edition, Chanel also collaborated with costume designer Virginie Montel on the film Les Aigles de la République, in official competition and featuring actress Lyna Khoudri, another ambassador for the brand. Additionally, the house supports Arco, the first animated feature by French director Ugo Bienvenu, screened as a special presentation. His studio, Remembers, has already created short films for Chanel runway shows and a campaign for the Coco Neige line.

Although Chanel often supports films featuring its ambassadors—such as Spencer by Pablo Larraín, starring Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana, or Joshua Oppenheimer’s musical The End with Tilda Swinton—the house also operates behind the scenes. Such was the case with Little Girl Blue by Mona Achache, presented at Cannes in 2023—a personal project led by Marion Cotillard that received quiet yet significant backing from Chanel. The brand also produces promotional content for major cinematic events. One notable example is the filmed conversation between Catherine Deneuve and Christophe Honoré, shown at the premiere of Marcello Mio last year at Cannes. This led to a deeper partnership, with Honoré later designing the scenography for Chanel’s Fall 2024 haute couture show at the Paris Opera.

But Chanel isn’t the only major fashion house active in cinema. Saint Laurent and its production company Saint Laurent Productions have also made waves, with award-winning films such as Emilia Perez by Jacques Audiard—even amid controversy—The Shrouds by David Cronenberg, and Parthenope by Paolo Sorrentino. Meanwhile, LVMH launched a new entity last year called 22 Montaigne Entertainment in collaboration with Superconnector Studios, aimed at exploring creative opportunities for its 75 brands, including Louis Vuitton, Dior, Tiffany & Co., and Moët & Chandon. At the same time, Artémis—the investment company of the François-Henri Pinault family—acquired a majority stake in the talent agency CAA (Creative Artists Agency) in 2023, representing stars such as Zendaya, Brad Pitt, and Tom Hanks. While film festivals continue to multiply and luxury houses increasingly make their presence felt, the relationship between Chanel and Cannes remains unique. And although the brand goes beyond simply dressing stars on the red carpet, we can still rejoice at seeing it shine on the backs of the greatest cinema icons gathered on the Croisette today.