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  • 5/15/2025
Every year, the red carpet at Cannes is where fashion debuts, deals are made, and reputations are built or broken. What if I told you the red carpet started as a death trap? In 458 BC, a Greek king, Agamemnon, struts home from war and his wife rolls out a crimson carpet. The Red was for gods, not mortals. Agamemnon walks it that night? He’s dead. The red carpet wasn’t glamour—it was a warning.

From the start, the red carpet wasn’t about celebration. It was about power. About transgression. That’s where it all began. For centuries, the colour red itself was a symbol of exclusivity. In medieval Europe, red dye was incredibly expensive and made from kermes insects or madder, using complex processes in the Middle East with materials like olive oil. They were not just glamorous but definitely elite. So red meant wealth, prestige and divine association. The first modern red carpet wasn’t for actors but was for passengers.

In 2025, the 78th edition of the prestigious film festival, Cannes updated its dress code just days before the festival, banning nudity and voluminous outfits with large trains for “decency” and “efficiency". The move sparked debate, with stylists scrambling and stars like Halle Berry forced to swap outfits at the last minute.

And for women, heels are still culturally encouraged.

It’s not the first time the carpet’s been political. In 2015, women were turned away for not wearing heels. Since then, stars have used the carpet to push back through protests, through fashion, and through the act of simply showing up differently.

Voiceover: Ainnie Arif
Producer: Divya
Editor Madiha Shakeel

#Cannes #CannesFilmFestival #Cannes2025 #CannesFestival2025 #FilmFestival #Protest #Fashion #Films #Art #Culture #RedCarpet #HollywoodAtCannes #Cinema

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Fun
Transcript
00:00Picture this. A red carpet unfurls.
00:04Cameras flash. Glamour drips from every stitch.
00:08It screams fame. Power. You're somebody.
00:11But hold up. What if I told you the red carpet started as a death trap?
00:16Yeah, that red carpet. Let's roll it back.
00:19It is 458 BC. A Greek king, Agamemnon, struts home from war.
00:24His wife rolls out a crimson carpet. Sounds sweet, right? Wrong.
00:28Red was for gods, not mortals. Step on it and you're tempting fate.
00:34Spoiler, Agamemnon walks it. And that night, he's dead.
00:39The red carpet wasn't glamorous. It was a warning.
00:42From the start, the red carpet wasn't about celebration.
00:46It was about power, about transgression. That's where it all began.
00:50For centuries, the color red itself was a symbol of exclusivity.
00:54In medieval Europe, red dye was incredibly expensive.
00:58Made for karmese insects or madder.
01:01Using complex processes in the Middle East with materials like olive oil.
01:06Not glamorous, but definitely elite.
01:08So red meant wealth, prestige, divine association.
01:13It showed up in art, in religion and in ceremonies of power long before Hollywood.
01:18The first modern red carpet wasn't for actors.
01:21It was for passengers.
01:22In 1902, the New York Central Railroad rolled out a literal red carpet for people boarding its luxury train, the 20th Century Limited.
01:32That's where we get the phrase, red carpet treatment.
01:36Hollywood began using red carpets for premieres in the 1920s.
01:40Then in 1961, the Oscars rolled one out.
01:44And by 1964, when the ceremony was first broadcast in color, the red carpet became part of the show.
01:50And it has been center stage ever since.
01:53Which brings us to Cannes.
01:55Every year, the red carpet at Cannes is where fashion debuts, deals are made and reputations are built or broken.
02:01But this year, it's also about controversy.
02:04In 2095, the 78th edition of the prestigious film festival, Cannes, updated its dress code just days before the festival.
02:13Banging nudity and voluminous outfits with large trains for decency and efficiency.
02:19No sheer naked dresses or dramatic gowns that clog the carpet.
02:23The move sparked debate, with stylists scrambling and stars like Halle Berry forced to swap outfits at the last minute.
02:29And for women, heels are still culturally encouraged.
02:33It's not the first time the carpet's been political.
02:36In 2015, women were turned away for not wearing heels.
02:40Since then, stars have used the carpet to push back.
02:43Through protests, through fashion and through the act of simply showing up differently.
02:48So yeah, it's just a carpet, but it is also a performance.

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