Cara Delevingne Embraces Effortless Elegance at Cannes While Quietly Defying the Red Carpet Rules

The L’Oréal Paris ambassador opens up about comfort over couture, celebrating women in film, and why she’s no longer a fan of trains — unless they double as hoods.

At the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival, model, actress, and L’Oréal Paris spokesperson Cara Delevingne graced the red carpet with her signature edge — all while unintentionally adhering to the festival’s newly implemented dress code. Known for her unapologetic authenticity, Delevingne, 32, tells PEOPLE she hadn’t even registered the updated fashion restrictions, which ban both nudity and large trains due to concerns around decency and practicality.

“I did hear about [the new dress code], but I don’t even think I understand it,” she says with a laugh. “I didn’t even know I wasn’t a train person until you just said that. A train is effort. If I could have a train that I could then make into a hood so then I could run, that would be something.”

Effortless was the theme of her red carpet appearance on May 21 for The History Of Sound premiere. Delevingne donned a scoop-neck, floor-length ruby-red Miu Miu gown with a drop waist and poufy skirt — a classic silhouette she transformed with a punk twist. The look was completed with a bold black wig and edgy bangs, replacing her usual blonde hair for the night. “It felt really fun to put a kind of edgy twist on a very classic silhouette of a dress,” she says.

For her second red carpet appearance on May 22, at the premiere of Colors of Time, Delevingne returned to her blonde roots and stepped out in a sleek black strapless column gown featuring a daring back slit. She completed the ensemble with sheer opera gloves and black heels — all train-free, of course. While her recent looks fell well within the new guidelines, the Carnival Row actress has a history of embracing boundary-pushing fashion.

At Cannes 2022, she stunned in a Balmain velvet gown adorned with sheer diamond-shaped cutouts and a trailing hem — a style she now admits requires more effort than she’s willing to give. “I’m just not that much of a train person anymore,” she admits candidly.

But Delevingne’s Cannes appearances aren’t only about fashion statements. As a prominent ambassador for L’Oréal Paris, she’s also using her platform to champion women in film. Speaking ahead of the Lights on Women’s Worth Awards on May 23 — now in its fifth year — she expressed pride in the brand’s commitment to sisterhood and inclusivity.

“Why I love L’Oréal Paris so much is what they do behind the scenes — not just being a brand, but about how they support womanship, womanhood, sisterhood,” she shares. “We need more women’s voices, we need more women’s stories, we need more women in film.”

This year’s ceremony welcomed Academy Award-winner Viola Davis as juror, following in the footsteps of icons like Elle Fanning and Kate Winslet. Davis presented the prestigious award to a standout female director from the Cannes Short Film Competition or La Cinef selection, continuing L’Oréal’s tradition of spotlighting rising talent.

“It’s such a wide variety of women with different voices, with different purposes from different places who all come together and have something to say,” Delevingne adds, naming Jane Fonda and Viola Davis among the influential women she’s proud to work alongside.

Following her time on the Riviera, the Only Murders in the Building star is looking forward to a low-maintenance summer — including a simplified beauty routine that favors glow over glam. “When we’re out in the sun and sweating — maybe dancing at a gig or festival — I like to continue a glowy look,” she explains. Her summer go-tos? The L’Oréal Revitalift Serum for lasting hydration, Paradise Big Deal Mascara for fluttery lashes, and — if she’s feeling bold — a pop of red lip.

Her quirky trick? Using L’Oréal’s iconic Elnett hairspray on her eyebrows via a mascara wand. “Those are the best things for my eyebrows,” she laughs.

Whether it’s reimagining red carpet glamour or advocating for women’s voices in film, Cara Delevingne is rewriting the Cannes narrative on her own terms — with less effort, more authenticity, and just the right amount of sparkle.