I can’t seem to make my way off the French Riviera.
Here I am, staring at the Cote d’Azur and it’s colour deepness blue…
Okay, I am not really there Right Now.
But I have touched that water and felt those breezes and walked the steps covered at this time of year by a red carpet.
After being intoxicated by St. Tropez for days, I am missing France so much.
So I thought I’d stay with Cannes coverage for a while, to help quash my longing for the European way of life…at least for the time being.
The 63rd edition of the Cannes International Film Festival kicked off yesterday. Here are a few of the fashion highlights from the Fest thus far.
Things certainly kicked off in style.

The Robin Hood premiere was the perfect place to unveil Gucci’s first couture gown for Gucci Première, as worn by Salma Hayek – the boss’s wife!




The colour is lovely (in my world, it’s called maroon but since we are in France – it must be bordeaux), and I like the hip detail…but darlings, couture should not wrinkle like that!
Gucci Creative Director, Frida Giannini designed what is said to be a capsule collection of gowns made by French couture ateliers. I’ll let you know as I hear more about the collection.
There was a lot of frou to be had. With volcano eruptions and a lack of air travel, there was most certainly a need for trains – and you could catch one anywhere on the carpet.

Why is Eva Longoria always on a red carpet? As far as I can remember, she is a TV star with one show but she seems to be on every single celeb runway. Adrian Grenier’s doc, Teenage Paparazzo (which I caught last week at the Hot Docs festival in Toronto) had a great line in it…something about some celebrities being famous for just having their picture taken a lot.

Well, we do know that Aishwariya Rai has a million reasons to be on the red carpet. Yes, she has had her picture taken a lot. She has a famous husband…famous father-in-law…famous mother-in-law…and famous friends. She’s also been in lots of films and has become a Cannes fixture in recent years. I can’t say I’ve ever been blown away by her fashion choices, though.
There was a lot of lilac this time around – as also seen on Kristin Scott-Thomas and Natalie Imbruglia.


It was generally very sedate and predictable, thus far.
Of course, there were exceptions – here’s a woman who really has no rival. Ms. Blanchett, thank you for wearing McQueen to the Robin Hood premiere. Someone needed to wear that first piece from one of Lee’s last collections. If it couldn’t be me, I am glad it was you. You were the epitome of grace, as always.





With that angelic sweep of tulle, Blanchett walked off with what may very well be the best dress of the Fest. I know it’s only Day Two, but sometimes a girl just knows these things.