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| Edited By: Sheetal Bhagat Mafatlal |Source: DNA |Updated: May 03, 2016, 09:02 AM IST
Festival de Cannes is a caviar slurry of high fashion and the jet set. Any style watcher would vouch that it's a melting pot of haute couture and one sees the best and the ultimate in street style and luxury. All in all, it's a decadent week of red carpet high-octane glamour, glittering soirees, elegant dinners and fundraisers. The glamourati and the cinemarati descend on the rarefied Cannes landscape to soak in the activities centered around the luxe-lit - Hotel Carlton, Hotel Martinez and the Promenade de la Croisette. What makes the upcoming Cannes fest special is the fact that Jacques Attali, President of the Positive Planet Foundation, is hosting the annual Positive Planet Gala Dinner during the Cannes Film Festival. The president of this year's Gala Dinner is my dear friend Mr Makram Azar, from Barclays bank. What makes this dinner unique is the special participation of Harvey Weinstein and the money raised will support Positive Planet's programs in 36 countries.
Cannes is the epitome of high fashion hipness and one gets to witness some of the best jewellery unveiling here. From the best in fur to the ultimate in haute joaillerie - it's the ultimate pedestal of chic. Two of the most talked-about and coveted parties at Cannes are of the iconic labels - Chopard and de Grisogono, who always try and out-do each other in terms of panache, scale of the grandeur and the a-list schmooze fest. Last year, Robbie Williams regaled the crowd at the Chopard party with a breathtaking performance. In Eden-Roc DIVINE garden, the de GRISOGONO dinner party always stands out. At both these events there's a spectacular display of jewellery and watches. Last year, Fendi launched a book in Cannes titled, Fendi by Karl Lagerfeld. This creation looked back at his tenure as creative director of the Roman brand, which he joined in 1965. The brand also celebrated the success of bag bugs and karlito.
This year, the inspiring amfAR returns to the fabled Hôtel du Cap for the 23rd annual Cinema Against AIDS. To date, the event has raised more than $170 million for amfAR's life-saving research programs and helped keep the fight against AIDS in the global media spotlight.
Besides the couture concoctions, I always like to soak in the street style at Cannes - which always feels eclectic, rock and roll and of-the-moment. Club a pair of Linda Farrow reflector sunnies with a glam rock t-shirt and a leather jacket to brave the mild chill and you've nailed the look. One sees a lot of summery off-shoulder dresses paired with chic wedges and wide-brimmed hats on the Promenade de la Croisette.
Having been a couture buyer for many years, I always look forward to seeing the new styles, emerging silhouettes and the degree of embellishments on the red carpet. Besides the floor-sweeping gowns with billowing trains, one sees a lot of ankle-length dresses and bold mini dresses. Looks like Zuhair Murad is emerging to be one of the sough-after labels over the last few seasons. The always chic Versace has done a major revival of sorts, bringing back its old glamour to the red carpet, reminding us of the glory days of the iconic Gianni. Also, one sees relaxed glamour with more and more actresses and celebrities opting for casual hairdos - from a messy half bun to open textured hair. Thanks to a slew of Indian actresses, a lot of Indian designers too have become huge on the Cannes radar.
The Monaco Grand Prix is probably the biggest and most prestigious annual event on the French Riviera calendar, ahead of the Cannes Film Festival and the Carnival of Nice. The wonderful Hotel Hermitage, overlooking the circuit on avenue d'Ostende is ideal for the Grand Prix weekend! Or watching it from one of the prominent yacht parked at Monaco harbour is an experience in itself.
