This week, in hotel rooms all over Cannes, meticulously packed gowns are being unloaded from their trunks in preparation for the 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival. Since we’re way across the Atlantic Ocean, we’re preparing by taking a look back at our absolute favorite looks to come out of the French Riviera in the past five years. Somehow we even managed to restrain ourselves from making this a solo gallery of Diane Kruger — for the most part.
The actress did merit two entries, however, one for the diaphanous turquoise Giambattista Valli gown she wore to the premiere of Moonrise Kingdom at last year’s festival, and one for the Marie Antoinette-worthy Christian Dior Couture she then debuted at the closing ceremony.
Points for theatricality also go to Fan Bingbing, who strayed from the tried-and-true Parisian ateliers and wore a gown by stylist Chris Bu Kewen inspired by traditional Chinese cultural symbols.
On the simpler side of things, Angelina Jolie had one of her best red carpet moments to date wearing peach Versace at Cannes in 2008, while Salma Hayek and Jessica Chastain stunned in shimmering Gucci Premiere numbers.
See our top ten picks in the gallery below, and then check out our dream dresses for this year’s Mistress of Ceremonies Audrey Tatou and judge Nicole Kidman:
