-By Ankita Dutta.
The red carpet at Cannes Film Festival used to have a strict rule against flat shoes, requiring women to wear heels. However, in recent years, many celebrities have pushed back against this requirement, with Kristen Stewart famously going barefoot in 2018 and stating that if men aren’t asked to wear heels, neither should women. While the rule has since been dropped, Isabelle Huppert has brought the debate back to life with her footwear choice at the Killers of the Flower Moon premiere.
The French actor wore a black Balenciaga lace turtleneck gown with the label’s “Pantabodysuit” underneath and finished off the outfit with Balenciaga’s nude Anatomic heels. These shoes have a molded toe design that is intended to resemble the anatomy of a naked human foot. Although Huppert did sport stilettos on the red carpet, there are opinions that her shoe preference was a form of mockery towards the previous mandate of heel wearing. She chose the most forward-thinking and divisive version of a heel possible.
Celebrities pushing back against traditional dress codes and experimenting with fashion on the red carpet is not new, with Huppert being a known risk-taker in the fashion world. However, her choice of shoes at the premiere brings attention to the ongoing debate around red carpet appropriate footwear and the pressure that is still placed on women to wear heels.
While some argue that wearing heels is a choice and a way to feel glamorous, others believe that it is an unfair expectation that puts unnecessary pressure and discomfort on women. With the rise of gender-neutral fashion and the push for inclusivity and diversity in the industry, it is possible that more celebrities will continue to challenge traditional dress codes in the years to come.
