Kristen Stewart defied the Cannes Film Festival dress code by taking off her shoes and completing her red carpet walk barefoot Monday evening, and the internet is loving it.
Stewart is serving as a member of the jury at this year’s festival, and has spoken out against its strict wardrobe requirements in the past. In order to walk the red carpet, Cannes requires that female attendees be wearing a dress and high heels—no flat footwear is permitted. It’s a strictly enforced fashion rule that officials have reportedly turned people away for breaking on more than one occasion in previous years.
In a 2017 interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Stewart said she felt the requirement was outdated. “I feel like you can’t ask people that anymore—it’s a given,” she said. “If you’re not asking guys to wear heels and a dress, you cannot ask me either.”
So when she hit the red carpet for the premiere of Spike Lee and Jordan Peele’s film BlacKkKlansman in a pair of black Louboutin heels Monday evening, only to be greeted by rainy weather and a soggy red carpet, the actor happily slid off her shoes and made the trek into the theater barefoot.
Red carpet at #Cannes or not, sometimes the heels have just gotta go. 😬 #KristenStewart pic.twitter.com/XwGTnCy5Ct
— InStyle (@InStyle) May 14, 2018
"If you’re not asking guys to wear heels and a dress, then you can’t ask me either." – Kristen Stewart, via @glamourmag #AskHerMore #Cannes2018 pic.twitter.com/OCnhzggoTk
— The Representation Project (@RepresentPledge) May 14, 2018
It’s a clever strategy for defying the dress code: The festival can’t really knock Stewart for taking her shoes off, since walking in heels that are sinking into a damp carpet is obviously more challenging than walking on a dry surface—and Stewart gets to turn her nose up at a rule the festival is probably already well-aware she thinks is stupid anyway.
Fans on Twitter were all-for the shoeless moment, and Stewart’s name trended in the U.S.:
👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 I’d take mine off too,wearing them ALL DAY kills your feet. Why is @Festival_Cannes so difficult with this “no-flats” rule?
— Paramore RK Life (@ParamoreRKLife) May 14, 2018
Kristen Stewart Goes Barefoot at Cannes – KStew Rebels Against Cannes Film Festival's High Heels-Only Rule https://t.co/IsSCXBaUPE
This "no flats – only heels" rule is absolutely ridiculous.
— Ava 🍑 (@avaprettypeachy) May 14, 2018
Kristen Stewart taking off her heels while walking the Cannes red carpet is literally me lmao
— MC she/her 🧝🏼♀️ (@ItsMaarty_) May 14, 2018
Maybe next year’s dress code will be different.