Cannes’ red carpet has yet to disappoint. From Lea Seydoux’s jeweled Prada gown to Riley Keough’s refreshing Valentino ensemble, this year’s sartorial oeuvre has been equal parts timeless French glamour and 21st-century chic. One trend that’s caught our eye is feathers. It may not even be fair to refer to it as a “trend,” seeing as feathers are among the most traditional of embellishments (see 18th-century feather boas and twenties-era flapper dresses), but today’s iterations have a thoroughly modern spin. Laetitia Casta’s feminine number stood out at the opening ceremony. In a sea of silk and satin, the fluffy white plumes felt classic yet a bit unexpected, given fashion’s love affair with minimalism. Carole Bouquet donned a slinky feathered Chanel dress, and later in the week, Freida Pinto, Heike Makatsch, and Julianne Moore joined in on the fun.
Perhaps we have Chanel’s Spring ’14 Couture show to thank for the recent feather revival—after all, Bouquet and Moore’s gowns were both plucked from the collection (although the stars nixed the spiky hairdos). Pinto’s full-skirted Michael Kors creation had a slightly beachy vibe, and Makatsch’s off-the-shoulder frock looked especially of-the-moment. With a whole five days of Cannes’ red carpets left, we’re interested to see who else joins the flock.
