Cannes Film Festival 2019: 22 Show-Stealing Looks by Arab Designers

Saudi-born Mohammed Ashi was one of the designers making ripples while he dressed celebrities in his Beirut-based brand Ashi Studio.

Camila Coelho in a creation by Lebanese designer Georges Hobeika

We’re sad to say goodbye to the Cannes Film Festival with all its amazing international film talent, those gorgeous sea views and, of course, the countless glamorous and memorable red carpet moments. The 72^nd edition of the annual festival held at South of France’s Palais des Festivals et des Congrès has been a huge success for the region. As well as the largest participation from the Middle East in the festival’s history film-wise, the region’s designers seriously dominated the red carpet. Many of the A-list celebrities who owned the event thanks to their lavish gowns and fierce fashion statements were wearing designs by Arabic couturiers.

One of the designers offering lots of style standouts this year was Georges Chakra. Victoria’s Secret model Jasmine Tookes looked ravishing at the amfAR Gala wearing a tangerine tie-dyed gown with a gathered ruffled shoulder detail from the Lebanese maestro’s SS19 couture collection. Another star spotted in one of Chakra’s creations was French model and Miss France 2018 Maeva Coucke. She looked like a literal ray of sunshine in a yellow sleeveless silk chiffon gown with beaded mesh bodice accents, which is from the same collection.

Elle Fanning has made an unrelenting impact on the Cannes red carpet this year, including her spot-on look during the closing ceremony. The festival’s youngest juror ever looked ethereal in a whimsical champagne coloured dress from Reem Acra’s autumn 2019 bridal collection named The Celebration. The strapless embroidered tulle gown, called Tying the Knot, came with a see-through cape.

Priyanka Chopra also looked like an elegant princess in another stunning full-on bridal gown from one more Lebanese designer, Georges Hobeika. The Bollywood actress’s voluminous white gown looked like a cloud of tulle, featuring a sweeping skirt and an asymmetrical neckline. An additional A-lister spotted in a design by Hobeika was Brazilian influencer Camila Coelho. The dark-haired beauty simply dazzled in a custom nude-coloured embellished dress, which was strapless.

Gorgeous models Alexina Graham and Noel Capri Berry also dressed to the nines in a successful label from the region while attending the amfAR gala. Graham rocked a gown resembling a bouquet of red roses with a plunging neckline, while Berry turned heads in a peach tulle halter midi dress with beaded fringe and feather trim. Both dresses are part of INGIE Paris’s AW19 collection. Former Miss World Aishwarya Rai Bachchan championed the Middle East too by hitting the red carpet in a snakeskin embossed fluorescent gown by Jean-Louis Sabaji. Made from 18 meters of stiff and delicate foiled leather, the dress featured a layered long sleeve on one side, a sharp strapless neckline shaping an asymmetrically structured bust and a six-layered train. What’s more, it caught the sunlight in all the right ways, changing colours from gold and orange into green and yellow.

Scroll through to see all the Arab designers who took over Cannes with their magical designs.

Coco Rocha at the "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" premiere in Elie Saab