No trains, no stress: Cara Delevingne keeps it simple at Cannes

With a playful wink and a deep love of simplicity, Cara Delevingne is once again redefining red carpet cool. At this year’s Cannes Film Festival, the model and actress stunned in two effortless looks—both of which happened to comply with a newly instated dress code banning nudity and over-the-top trains. Her reason for keeping things low-key? “It’s just too much effort,” she laughs.

No train, no problem

When Cara Delevingne walked the red carpet for the History of Sound premiere on May 21, she looked every inch the glamorous movie star: her crimson Miu Miu gown, with its scoop neckline, drop waist, and dramatic skirt, turned heads and camera lenses alike. But what many didn’t notice at first was that her dress was missing something Cannes has long adored—an opulent train.

Unbeknownst to many festival goers, the Cannes Film Festival instituted a new dress code in 2025 that bans both nude-inspired outfits and voluminous gowns with sweeping trains. The reason? According to the festival’s official site, both styles interfere with guest traffic and violate standards of decency. But Delevingne wasn’t trying to comply. In fact, she barely knew about the rule change. “I did hear about [the new dress code], but I don’t even think I understand it,” she told PEOPLE with a laugh. “We didn’t even think about it. I guess I’m just not much of a train person anymore.”

The surprising reason behind the change

Delevingne’s laid-back response is perhaps the most relatable reason ever for ignoring fashion tradition: effort. “A train is an effort,” she admits. “If I could have a train that turned into a hood so I could run away, that would be something.” For someone who’s done everything from sheer Balmain to sharp tailoring, it’s a refreshingly honest take. And for anyone who’s ever tripped over a hem or adjusted a trailing skirt in public, it’s hard not to agree.

Her second look, worn for the Colors of Time premiere on May 22, followed a similar theme. Delevingne opted for a sleek black strapless column gown with a dramatic back slit. She paired the minimalist dress with sheer black opera gloves and stilettos, adding a dash of Old Hollywood with a thoroughly modern edge. She also returned to her signature blonde hair after sporting a black wig with bangs the night before.

Despite this year’s simplicity, Delevingne isn’t new to Cannes theatrics. In 2022, she wore a daring velvet Balmain gown with diamond-shaped sheer panels and—yes—a dramatic train that needed a bit of choreography to manage up the Palais des Festivals’ famed staircase. That same year, she wore a couple of skin-baring looks that would almost certainly cross the line under the current dress code. But in 2025, it seems, ease wins out.

A different kind of spotlight

Delevingne isn’t just attending Cannes for fashion. As a longtime L’Oréal Paris ambassador, she was also present for the Lights on Women’s Worth Awards on May 23—an annual celebration of women in film hosted in partnership with the festival.

“It’s such a wide variety of women with different voices, with different purposes from different places who all come together and have something to say,” Delevingne says of the L’Oréal Paris circle. “Jane Fonda, Viola Davis—these are women I’ve looked up to, worked with, or just admired from afar. It’s one of the most incredible rooms to be in.”

This year’s ceremony marked the fifth anniversary of the program. Academy Award winner Viola Davis, also a L’Oréal Paris ambassador, served as juror and presented the 2025 prize to a standout female director from the Cannes Short Film Competition or La Cinef selection. For Delevingne, the platform isn’t just about beauty—it’s about building a sisterhood that uplifts real voices.

“Why I love L’Oréal Paris so much is what they do behind the scenes,” she says. “It’s not just a brand. They support womanship, womanhood, and sisterhood. We need more spotlights on women filmmakers. More women’s voices, more women’s stories, more women in film. It’s changing, but it’s changing slowly. L’Oréal Paris is a brand that says it—and they do it. It’s not just smoke and mirrors.”

Keeping beauty effortless

As she wraps up her whirlwind time at Cannes, Delevingne is already looking forward to something most of us can relate to: summer. And when it comes to her warm-weather beauty routine, the theme—unsurprisingly—is simplicity. “I like to keep things easy in summer, because I’m sweating like everyone else,” she says. “When we’re out in the sun or dancing at a festival, I like to go for a glowy look.” Her go-to product? The Revitalift Serum by L’Oréal Paris, which is loaded with hyaluronic acid. “It really lasts,” she adds.

Other Delevingne essentials include a miniature bottle of Elnett hairspray—used unconventionally to tame her brows with a mascara wand—and the Paradise Big Deal Mascara. “And if I’m feeling risky,” she says, “maybe a red lip, just by itself. Depends on how I feel.”

The attitude behind the outfits

Whether she’s embracing Hollywood glam or punky edge, Delevingne always brings a sense of fun to fashion. “I love being a little character,” she says, reflecting on her May 21 look. That theatrical instinct is what’s made her a standout on red carpets for over a decade. But underneath the wigs, gloves, and gowns is someone who values comfort just as much as performance—and who isn’t afraid to say so.

In a world where stars often chase the next viral fashion moment, Delevingne’s laissez-faire attitude is quietly rebellious. She may not be making headlines with miles-long gowns or barely-there sheer panels anymore—but by showing up as herself, with all her ease and honesty, she’s still commanding attention.