CANNES: From a “Jerusalem skyline” gown that sparked a social media furore to a thigh-split leaving almost nothing to the imagination, these are the red carpet dresses turning heads at Cannes.

Jerusalem dress becomes net meme

Israeli Culture Minister Miri Regev takes the prize for most political fashion statement at the world’s biggest film festival, after turning up at Wednesday night’s opening gala wearing a billowing white dress emblazoned with the Jerusalem skyline.

The skirt featured a panorama of the walled Old City in Israeli-occupied east Jerusalem, including the golden Dome of the Rock in the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound — a site sacred to both Muslims and Jews and a regular scene of friction between them.

Controversially, Regev said the dress marked “50 years since the liberation and reunification of Jerusalem”.

But web users swiftly offered up Photoshopped redesigns — with one widely shared image replacing the skyline with the separation wall dividing Israel and the West Bank, and another with a blue-and-white Israeli flag splattered with blood.

Victoria Abril’s ‘African geisha’ look

Spanish actress Victoria Abril, a favourite of director Pedro Almodovar, who is chairing this year’s Cannes jury, rivalled Regev for the most eyebrow-raising look on opening night with a Japanese-style kimono made from bright African fabric.

She teamed her ensemble with a huge protruding tower of hair braids that could have left the unfortunate guest seated behind her craning to see the opening film, Ismael’s Ghosts. Sportingly, however, the actress spent most of the two-hour movie bent forwards so those behind her could see.

Susan Sarandon’s deep V

At 70, Oscar winner Susan Sarandon stole the show from supermodels a third her age with a velvet gown by Italian designer Alberta Ferretti, slashed almost to the hip and making the most of a gravity-defying cleavage. She teamed it with oversize sunglasses and an enormous smile.

“Tonight as I fall asleep, I am going to say a little prayer,” wrote Jenna Rosenstein of Harper’s Bazaar.

“It will go something like this: ‘Oh please, generous God, make my boobs look half as good as Susan Sarandon’s when I, too, am 70 years old.’”

Bella Hadid’s wardrobe malfunction

Daring thigh-splits are omnipresent in Cannes this year, but US supermodel Bella Hadid suffered the consequences on Wednesday as her pink gown by Alexandre Vauthier repeatedly gusted open, flashing her briefs to the world’s assembled paparazzi.

Hadid might want to have a word with Vauthier — the same thing happened with the much talked-about red dress he put her in at Cannes last year.

‘Craziest jumpsuit ever’

US model Emily Ratajkowski, best known for starring in the controversial music video for ‘Blurred Lines’ by Robin Thicke, turned many a head on Thursday night with a revealing lacy jumpsuit by Norwegian designer Peter Dundas.

The outfit, described by Harper’s as “the craziest jumpsuit we’ve ever seen”, combined the practicality of trouser legs with near-nudity and a cumbersome ruffled train the size of a pair of curtains.

Several fashion outlets have already crowned the 25-year-old best-dressed at this year’s Cannes, with Grazia tweeting: “It’s official. Emily Ratajkowski just won best dressed at the 70th Cannes Film Festival.”—AFP

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2017