Amal Clooney returns solo to the red carpet – in a dress that breaks the Cannes dress code

Amal Clooney at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.

Amal Clooney returned to the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday, May 17, 2025, without her husband, George Clooney, and walked the red carpet to attend the screening of her friend Bono's documentary "Stories of Surrender." The human rights lawyer and celebrated philanthropist more than holds her own on her own, opting for her signature glamorous style—featuring vintage pieces—that makes Amal Clooney so distinctive for the evening.

Clooney entered the Palais des Festivals in a vintage John Galliano-era Christian Dior gown—a floor-length gown with a dramatic train, sweetheart neckline, and fitted silhouette. While it was entirely in keeping with her red carpet style, it was a slight departure from the Cannes Film Festival's newly implemented dress code . The new rules have caused a stir, particularly for their ban on nudity and more risqué gowns, but they also aim to discourage more voluminous, dramatic looks—including trains.

Clooney accessorized with diamond earrings, several silver cocktail rings, and a simple, compact black clutch. Her glam and beauty look was understated.

Her almost waist-length hair was styled into voluminous waves with a soft caramel balayage by Dimitris Giannetos—a celebrity favorite known for Gigi Hadid's bob and Demi Moore's eye-catching awards-season hairstyles.

Clooney's penchant for vintage and classic, statement dresses goes back a long way. Last September, she walked the red carpet with husband George at the 2024 Albie Awards, presented by the Clooney Foundation for Justice, opting for a black velvet Atelier Versace gown with a similar sweetheart neckline.

Although she rarely appears in public, Clooney can usually be seen on the red carpet in some variation of vintage Versace. But last year's fashion also included an experiment with bolder colors, patterns, and textures, both on and off the carpet. She was photographed in a bright yellow summer dress, an orange jumpsuit, a Galliano-era polka-dot Dior dress, and a vintage Versace dress in neon pink, yellow, and orange.

This year, Amal Clooney has been seen even less often—we've had a glimpse of her winter look, consisting of layers of Max Mara and gray cashmere scarves, and recently we saw her in a cropped denim outfit for spring.

But with more summer events—the Clooneys will be seen frequently this season in Saint Tropez, Venice, and Lake Como—and glamorous galas ahead, we can be sure we'll be seeing Amal Clooney back with her stunning looks. Will George accompany her or stay home with the twins? That remains to be seen.

This article originally appeared on Vogue.com.

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