Sheer styles have dominated red carpets in recent years, but the trend has its roots in the early 20th century. At Cannes Film Festival, stars including Sophia Loren, Kendall Jenner and Elle Fanning have put their own spin on see-through looks, sporting barely-there styles by the likes of Dior, Schiaparelli and more.
But now, the prestigious festival has updated its dress code with new rules including a ban on “nudity” on the red carpet, meaning naked dresses like the Saint Laurent garment worn by Bella Hadid in 2024 may be a thing of the past — or showcased only by those willing to break a rule.
Ahead, see the best sheer dresses on the red carpet at Cannes through the years.
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Kim Novak, Sheer Looks at Cannes Through the Years — 1956
Image Credit: ullstein bild via Getty Images Kim Novak at Cannes Film Festival in 1956.
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Sophia Loren, Sheer Looks at Cannes Through the Years — 1964
Image Credit: AFP via Getty Images Sophia Loren at Cannes Film Festival in 1964.
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Rosanna Arquette, Sheer Looks at Cannes Through the Years — 1993
Image Credit: WireImage Rosanna Arquette at Cannes Film Festival in 1993.
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Cameron Diaz, Sheer Looks at Cannes Through the Years — 2002
Image Credit: WireImage Cameron Diaz in Versace at Cannes Film Festival in 2002.
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Kylie Minogue, Sheer Looks at Cannes Through the Years — 2007
Image Credit: Getty Images Kylie Minogue at Cannes Film Festival in 2007.
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Eva Herzigova, Sheer Looks at Cannes Through the Years — 2008
Image Credit: WireImage Eva Herzigova at Cannes Film Festival in 2008.
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Claudia Schiffer, Sheer Looks at Cannes Through the Years — 2011
Image Credit: WireImage Claudia Schiffer in Dolce & Gabbana at Cannes Film Festival in 2011.
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Cara Delevingne, Sheer Looks at Cannes Through the Years — 2013
Image Credit: Getty Images Cara Delevingne in Burberry at Cannes Film Festival in 2013.
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Sara Sampaio, Sheer Looks at Cannes Through the Years — 2017
Image Credit: WireImage Sara Sampaio in Francesco Sognamiglio at Cannes Film Festival in 2017.
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Kendall Jenner, Sheer Looks at Cannes Through the Years — 2018
Image Credit: Getty Images Kendall Jenner in Schiaparelli at Cannes Film Festival in 2018.
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Elle Fanning, Sheer Looks at Cannes Through the Years — 2019
Image Credit: WireImage Elle Fanning in Dior at Cannes Film Festival in 2019.
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Bella Hadid, Sheer Looks at Cannes Through the Years — 2021
Image Credit: Samir Hussein/WireImage Bella Hadid in Jean Paul Gaultier at Cannes Film Festival in 2021.
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Taylor Hill, Sheer Looks at Cannes Through the Years — 2021
Image Credit: WireImage Taylor Hill in Etro at Cannes Film Festival in 2021.
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Eva Longoria, Sheer Looks at Cannes Through the Years — 2022
Image Credit: Corbis via Getty Images Eva Longoria in Alberta Ferretti at Cannes Film Festival in 2022.
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Alessandra Ambrosio, Sheer Looks at Cannes Through the Years — 2023
Image Credit: FilmMagic Alessandra Ambrosio in Elie Saab at Cannes Film Festival in 2023.
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Hari Nef, Sheer Looks at Cannes Through the Years — 2023
Image Credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images Hari Nef in Fendi at the “The Idol” red carpet during the 76th annual Cannes film festival at Palais des Festivals on May 22, 2023 in Cannes, France.
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Bella Hadid, Sheer Looks at Cannes Through the Years — 2024
Image Credit: Kristy Sparow/Getty Images Bella Hadid in Saint Laurent at the “The Apprentice” Red Carpet at the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 20, 2024 in Cannes, France.
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Naomi Campbell, Sheer Looks at Cannes Through the Years — 2024
Image Credit: Kristy Sparow/Getty Images Naomi Campbell in Chanel at the “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” Red Carpet at the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 15, 2024 in Cannes, France.