The Cannes Film Festival is the biggest jewellery-spotting event of the year. Lasting almost two weeks, it knocks spots off the Oscars or any other one-night red carpet event in the world.
Almost a dozen evening screenings give stars and starlets the chance to strut their stuff in front of the bow-tie attired paparazzi as they make their way along the red carpet and then up the vertiginous montée des marches, the famous long stairs of the Palais des Festivals. Once inside, the attendees take their seats for the evening’s screening. Many are likely to slip out the back entrance as soon as the lights are low and dive into a waiting limousine and head to one of the many parties that light up the night.
Now in its 71st year, once again, Chopard dominates the jewellery scene from its lofty terrace suite on the roof of the Martinez Hotel. During the day celebrities, ‘friends’ of the brand, stylists and clients flit in and out to make their final choice of jewels for their big red carpet moment.
Cate Blanchett (above), a long-standing friend of Chopard, chose a cascade of bejewelled orchids (below) from the house’s aptly named Red Carpet collection. Made of ultra-light titanium, the petals are adorned with yellow sapphires and garnets and white opals. The stems of the plant, barely a few millimetres wide, are set with 4,800 tsavorites and flowers shimmer with yellow sapphires and deep violet coloured garnets.
Sultry siren Lea Seydoux (top) chose Boucheron’s ivy shape earrings to wind around her ears for a modern take on a classic look from one of Place Vendôme’s oldest jewellers.
Carey Mulligan’s turned to Chaumet to complete her lady-like 1950’s look. A pair of emerald drop earrings were a sophisticated final touch to her polished performance on the red carpet. Polish model Malgosia Bela also chose a pair Chaumet emerald earrings. Hers are from the Chaumet est une fête high jewellery collection and are more elaborate in their construction than Mulligan’s choice. The earrings are inspired by open-air operas at Glyndebourne and mimic the drapes of fabric of the women’s evening gowns. The earrings artfully combine emeralds, rubies, sapphires, yellow sapphires and diamonds.
De GRISOGONO is the other jewellery house most closely associated with the glamour of Cannes. Both American actress Amber Heard and Victoria’s Secret Angel Romee Strijd (below) stepped out in their opulent creations. The 42.53-carat pear-cut diamond around Romee’s neck is perhaps the largest diamond we will see at Cannes this year and Romee wore it perfectly, with a huge smile and twinkle in her blue eyes as it sparkled under the Cannes sun.
