It is all over in a burst of camera flashes, but the buzziest looks on the red carpet at Cannes take weeks to plot and prepare.
"Sometimes we think things over for two or three months and everything comes down to 10 seconds on the red carpet," French stylist Ilya Vanzato, the mastermind behind some of the most talked-about dresses at the world's top film festival, told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
It all starts with a highly strategic chat between the stylist and their client, be that a rising model, a Hollywood star or an Instagram influencer. "That's where we ask ourselves what we are aiming for," he added.
"Something understated and elegant? Or rather a 'Wow!' look that will generate buzz."
Vanzato – who trained in Dior's haute couture ateliers in Paris before working with designer Zac Posen in New York – insists that a memorable outfit is not just about aesthetics but about storytelling.
The Cannes red carpet has always been a stage for big fashion statements, from Madonna unveiling Jean Paul Gaultier's famous cone corset to Cate Blanchett letting the colors of the Palestinian flag peek out from the lining of her Haider Ackermann gown.
"There are so many beautiful pieces, but you need to find one that tells a story and fits with the celebrity's image," said Russian stylist Alexandra Pavlova, who has been coming to Cannes for six years.
But in Cannes, fashion is also about negotiation. Behind every outfit are alliances woven long before a celebrity steps onto the red carpet.
"A stylist doesn't just suggest looks, they have to build bridges between an artist and fashion houses and gradually raise their status within the fashion world," said French stylist Coline Bach, who has dressed the likes of singers Christina Aguilera, Belgian singer Angele and DJ Snake.
Turning heads at Cannes can open the door to ad campaigns and collaborations with major brands, said Vanzato, who this year worked with supermodels like Coco Rocha and Natasha Poly.
"There's a real strategy behind which brand you wear and what relationship you want to build for the future," said Vanzato.
During the festival, brands set up private showrooms in the Riviera resort's big luxury hotels, where jewelry and racks of exclusive outfits can be tried on – pieces that are rarely seen again outside those suites.
The pressure has intensified with social media, which amplifies the visibility of every red carpet moment. A striking look can rack up millions of views and become a global trend within minutes. "Every piece worn in Cannes becomes hyper-mediatised," said Pavlova.
The final prep stills hours before the red carpet in a hotel room-turned-command centre.
"Three hours before, we're already on the hair and makeup," Bach said. But even after months of preparation, everything can change in an instant.
Cannes is full of stories of dresses held up at customs, impossible shoes, or fabrics that just don't work under the Mediterranean light. Pavlova recalled how minutes before one client was about to go on to the red carpet, someone stepped on her dress in the lobby of the Hotel Martinez and tore it.
"You have to react very quickly, which is why I never go anywhere without my sewing kit," the stylist said. Right there on the spot, among the milling celebrities, journalists and star-spotters, Pavlova hand-stitched the piece back together while her client composed herself for the cameras.
When she finally walked the red carpet for the premiere, no one could have guessed the disaster that had befallen her dress only minutes before.
"People think coming to Cannes is about enjoying the good life, sipping cocktails" by the blue of the Mediterranean, Bach sighed. "But in reality, we spend the whole day putting out fires."
