When Bella Hadid stepped onto the red carpet at the premiere of The Unknown Girl in a crimson Alexandre Vauthier Couture gown, she wowed the crowd and floored the Internet. Headlines ranged from reverent—“Craziness at Cannes: Bella Hadid’s Daring Thigh Split Dress,” wrote Vogue France—to sardonic: “Don’t Sneeze, Bella Hadid,” the Cut noted. Hello Giggles also pointed out that Hadid’s look recalled Jessica Rabbit’s famous red gown in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?. No matter what your take (most likely jaw on the floor, though), the wisp of a satin dress will probably go down in history as one of the most iconic gowns to ever cross the carpet on the Croisette.
But when we see a dress like this, we can’t help but wonder a few things. Namely, what’s going on underneath? Should a breeze kick up, is Bella Hadid going to have a Marilyn moment? Also, how does a look like this come together? Hadid has been crushing it at Cannes, with one news-worthy look after another. We spoke to her stylist, Elizabeth Sulcer, about the red dress seen ’round the world and crafting the perfect Cannes wardrobe.
Elizabeth Sulcer: We knew we wanted to create something really beautiful and iconic in collaboration with Alexandre Vauthier. He is an amazing friend and talent in the industry. Every aspect of the dress was planned.
What exactly was happening underneath the dress? Do you have any insider tips for wearing something like it?
The dress has a built-in silk bodysuit. Top-stick [tape] is always a good idea. Practice makes perfect.
__With a dress like that, there’s such a difference between how it looks when Bella is standing still and posing versus what happens when she moves. Is that something you think about when she’s trying it on? __
You have to consider everything. A fitting is not the same as wearing the dress. Bella is smart and confident, and we knew she could wear that dress.
__Are you and Bella happy with the reaction to the look? __
We are very focused on the present moment, and so happy that this is having a lasting impact.
__Bella Hadid has really been crushing it at Cannes, style-wise. How long did it take to pull together her wardrobe? __
Bella and I are very focused and organized. We start talking about ideas and how we want her to look on the red carpet very early. It takes time to create a strong look and vision.
__Do you have any other stop-the-presses looks up your sleeve for Bella while she’s at Cannes? __
Yes.