It is all over in a burst of camera flashes, but the buzziest looks on the red carpet at Cannes take weeks to plot and prepare.
"Sometimes we think things over for two or three months and everything comes down to 10 seconds on the red carpet," French stylist Ilya Vanzato, the mastermind behind some of the most talked-about dresses at the world's top film festival, told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
It all starts with a highly strategic chat between the stylist and their client, be that a rising model, a Hollywood star or an Instagram influencer. "That's where we ask ourselves what we are aiming for," he added.
"Something understated and elegant? Or rather a 'Wow!' look that will generate buzz."
Vanzato – who trained in Dior's haute couture ateliers in Paris before working with designer Zac Posen in New York – insists that a memorable outfit is not just about aesthetics but about storytelling.
