The 2023 Cannes Film Festival has been eventful; so much so that it's possible to have missed the subtle statements that celebrities made, which have flown beneath the radar. Isabelle Huppert's certainly didn't fly past ours. The Oscar-nominated French actress walked the Cannes 2023 red carpet for the Killers Of The Flower Moon movie premiere. While her Balenciaga black lace gown with the brand's nude 'pantabodysuit' was an elegant choice, it was her footwear that stole the show. Isabella paired her outfit with Balenciaga's Anatomic Pumps in a skin-toned shade. What is distinctive about this pair is its toe-shaped impression over the front. A head-on look at these heels, as we saw on Isabelle, appears as if the wearer is barefoot.
The Anatomic Pumps by Balenciaga are made of sheepskin and have a narrow heel but their unique barefoot-like front is what sets it apart. A pair is priced at approximately Rs 90,000. Why Isabelle's shoes have made headlines is because the Cannes Film Festival has followed a strict 'heels only' policy for women, which was dissolved quietly post 2018. Years later, the patriarchal fashion policy hasn't been forgotten and in 2023, Isabelle wasn't the only actress who made a statement with her footwear choices.
Photo Credit: Balenciaga
Earlier in the week, Jennifer Lawrence attended the red carpet premiere of Anatomy of a Fall at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. While she initially matched her red Christian Dior gown with pointed crimson pumps, she later ditched the heels for a pair of black flip-flops.
In the past, many women have rebelled against the 'heels only' red carpet policy at Cannes. In 2016, Julia Roberts walked the Cannes red carpet barefoot, in solidarity with women who were turned away for wearing flat shoes the year before. In 2018, Kristen Stewart famously ditched her heels and walked barefoot on the red carpet. It seems like making statements with one's feet isn't going anywhere in the near future either.
Comments(Also Read: In A Red Dior Gown And Flip Flops, Comfort Comes Before Cannes' 'Heels Only' Rule For Jennifer Lawrence)
