In brief
- Kick-off of the 79th Cannes Film Festival on 12 May 2026 with the film La Vénus Électrique.
- Demi Moore adorned in a Chopard ensemble featuring 263.34 carats of diamonds on the red carpet.
- Preview presentation of the Pomellato 2026 collection with 21 Paraíba tourmalines on Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu.
- Jane Fonda wore an Iconica necklace featuring a 46.34-carat cabochon aquamarine and 2,143 diamonds.
On 12 May 2026, the Croisette launched the 79th Cannes Film Festival with the opening screening of the film La Vénus Électrique by Pierre Salvadori. Under the light of the Riviera, actors, directors and fashion figures walked the red carpet of the Palais des Festivals, offering a spectacular demonstration where cinema meets the most precious creations of global high jewellery. Every spring, this essential event of the seventh art transforms the Azurean coastline into an international showcase of prestige, bringing together the elite of artistic creation and craftsmanship.
The opening ceremony traditionally marks the starting point of twelve days of intensive festivities, official screenings and social events. Before the lenses of photographers from around the world, the ascent of the steps asserts itself as a privileged stage for the greatest houses of Place Vendôme and major international jewellery centres. The historic alliance between cinema personalities and the world of luxury finds its most brilliant theatre on the Côte d’Azur, where the magnetism of stars highlights the technical mastery and creativity of the art workshops.
The brilliance of diamonds and coloured stones at Pomellato
The exceptional gems of Maison Pomellato
On the red carpet, the jewellery houses deployed their expertise by combining natural diamonds and coloured gems with intense hues. Actress Jane Fonda illuminated the steps with an Iconica High Jewellery necklace in white gold set with a 46.34-carat milky cabochon aquamarine and 2,143 diamonds, paired with Nudo rings. For her part, Anaïs Demoustier wore a Pomellato creation structured around a 12-carat old mine brilliant-cut yellow diamond framed by gourmette links, complemented by Nudo and Catene rings.
Actress Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu unveiled the Pomellato 2026 collection through a semi-rigid necklace adorned with 21 pear-cut Paraíba tourmalines totalling 20.15 carats. This set was matched with earrings featuring 14 Paraíba tourmalines and a ring decorated with more than 840 precious stones in tone-on-tone pavé.
Founded in Milan in 1967, Maison Pomellato has always distinguished itself by its singular approach to jewellery, introducing the concept of ready-to-wear into a universe previously dominated by more conventional jewellery. Recognisable by its generous volumes, reworked meshes and bold work on colour, the Italian label demonstrates unique expertise in highlighting rare minerals. The bluish and greenish hues of Paraíba tourmalines, stones of great geographical rarity, illustrate this constant quest for intense and captivating shades that dialogue harmoniously with the purity of diamonds.
The artisanal excellence of the great Italian houses
The aesthetic developed by the Milanese house is based on a subtle alliance between goldsmith tradition and stylistic modernity. Iconic lines such as Nudo, characterised by the naked cut of the stones that captures light from all angles, or Catene, which reinvents chain work in contemporary forms, bear witness to a permanent search for balance. The artisans of the Milan workshops perpetuate meticulous gestures to design fluid settings capable of following the movements of the body, thus offering comfortable wear without compromising on the majesty of the selected stones.
By choosing to wear these sets during such a high-profile festival opening, the actresses highlight the importance of Italian design on the international high jewellery scene. The presence of rare gems with generous volumes testifies to the strong return of coloured stones to the heart of the most exclusive collections, where every cut and every setting is meticulously studied to maximise the refraction of light under the spotlights of the Croisette.
Chopard dresses the jury and cinema figures
Chopard and the sumptuous setting of the Croisette
A historic partner of the event and creator of the Palme d’Or, Maison Chopard adorned jury members and guests of honour with High Jewellery pieces. Demi Moore caused a sensation with an 18-carat white gold bib necklace featuring 226.34 carats of natural diamonds in five rows, accompanied by 22.87-carat earrings and rings totalling more than 14 carats of additional diamonds.
Other jury members, Ruth Negga and Zhao Tao, also wore diamond sets by Chopard, as did supermodel Poppy Delevingne dressed in sparkling pendants, while actor Mike Angelo wore a gold and diamond ring from the Swiss house.
For several decades, the Swiss jeweller has maintained a privileged link with the world of cinema. Based in Geneva, the family-owned house has established itself as a central player on international red carpets, transforming every ascent of the steps into a celebration of gemmology and craftsmanship. By precisely shaping the famous Palme d’Or within its workshops, the structure reaffirms its commitment each year to global artistic creation and the technical excellence necessary for the production of exceptional works.
The use of high-quality natural diamonds by the Geneva house is part of a rigorous selection and manufacturing process. Each precious stone is chosen for its purity, colour and cut, guaranteeing maximum brilliance under the natural light of the Riviera as well as under the artificial lighting of the red carpet. The sets presented this year reflect the ability of master jewellers to assemble hundreds of gems in perfect balance, combining the flexibility of articulated structures with the geometric rigour of pure gold settings.
Contemporary lines and haute couture on the steps
Contemporary creations with sleek silhouettes also stood out during this opening night. Master of ceremonies Eye Haïdara wore the Totem necklace by Messika set with 34 carats and the 15-carat Mille Feux bracelet in 18-carat white gold. Singer Ginta chose the So Move Max necklace and bracelet from the same house, paired with modern studs and hoops.
In a total Louis Vuitton look, actress Vimala Pons wore Louis Vuitton High Jewellery to accompany her sheath dress. For her part, Ludivine Sagnier appeared in a set from the Princess Star collection by Roberto Coin, combining white gold, diamonds and yellow sapphires.
The emergence of jewellery with graphic and sleek lines is asserting itself as a major trend in the sector. The creations of Maison Messika, founded in Paris at the beginning of the 21st century, illustrate this desire to emancipate the diamond from traditional constraints by offering dynamic and ergonomic wear. By working on the lightness of structures and the mobility of stones, the Parisian label breathes a modern energy that appeals to a new generation of public figures wishing to reconcile the tradition of precious stones with contemporary aesthetics.
At the same time, the convergence between the great couture houses and high jewellery divisions reinforces the visual harmony of the silhouettes presented on the Croisette. The integration of jewellery collections by major players in Parisian and international fashion allows for the design of global ensembles where textiles, cuts and the brilliance of minerals dialogue seamlessly. This global vision of style highlights innovative geometric patterns and bold colour combinations, such as the alliances between diamonds and sapphires in warm shades.
Archive pieces and masculine elegance in the spotlight
Historical heritage and masculine elegance
Jewellery heritage asserted itself thanks to director Rebecca Zlotowski, who wore a flexible Art Deco bracelet in platinum and diamonds dating from 1927 from the Boucheron private collection, a symbol of “White Jewellery” from the early 20th century. Actor Théodore Pellerin wore a Reflet M watch and jewellery from the Quatre Radiant Edition line used as lapel brooches.
The history of Maison Boucheron, established since 1893 on the prestigious Place Vendôme, is reflected in these heritage pieces that span the eras. The Art Deco period, characterised by pure geometric shapes, the preferred use of platinum and the search for symmetry, represents a golden age of French jewellery. Highlighting archive pieces during contemporary events allows this cultural and technical heritage to be transmitted while underlining the durability of period creations, whose aesthetic modernity remains intact a century after their creation.
Watchmaking and masculine jewellery completed the picture of this first Cannes evening. Model Alton Mason wore an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch in white gold set with 770 diamonds and featuring a dial in graduated blue sapphires. Finally, Lucas Bravo wore a vintage brooch from the 1970s from the Patrimoine collection of Maison Fred, confirming the strong return of the brooch to the masculine red carpet wardrobe.
The evolution of the masculine wardrobe towards a more assertive expression of jewellery is one of the striking phenomena of recent red carpets. Long confined to classic watches and discreet cufflinks, the presence of masculine jewellery is now enriched with vintage brooches, ornate rings and set timepieces from the most prestigious watch manufactures of Le Brassus. This reappropriation of precious accessories by men testifies to a profound mutation of luxury dress codes, where the dialogue between haute horlogerie and heritage jewellery offers a renewed palette of expression.
