Chloé Zhao Is a Spiky, Sparkling Schiaparelli Blowfish at Cannes Film Festival
We’ve been waiting to see this one on the red carpet
Reported by Harper's Bazaar.
At Cannes, Chloé Zhao arrived on the red carpet looking like something that crawled out of the deep sea — and meant it. The Hamnet director wore a custom two-piece from Schiaparelli's Spring 2026 Couture collection, designed by Daniel Roseberry, that drew direct inspiration from the blowfish: the spiky, shape-shifting creature that inflates itself into something formidable when threatened. The result was exactly as surrealist and confrontational as you'd expect from a house that treats fashion like a provocation.
The set — a sheer nude jacket and midi skirt — came scattered with black splotches and crystal embellishments, with black organza spikes erupting from the shoulders in a way that redefined what "power suiting" could even mean. A gravity-defying peplum anchored the silhouette in classic Schiaparelli strangeness. According to Harper's Bazaar, the look was conceived as part of Roseberry's Spring 2026 Couture offering, which tracks — this kind of structural theatrics belongs firmly in the realm of haute couture, where clothing is allowed to have a thesis statement.
From the Red Carpet to Chopard's Table
Zhao's styling leaned into the drama without overcomplicating it: slicked-back updo (a practical choice, given the spikes), black eyeliner, rosy blush, a glossy lip, and sculptural pointed-toe heels that kept everything tethered to something wearable. It's a masterclass in letting the garment lead without disappearing into it.
Earlier that same day, she showed up to a Chopard dinner — the official jewelry and timepiece sponsor of Cannes — in something entirely different: a slouchy, fuzzy yellow-and-white set from Bottega Veneta's Fall 2026 collection. Where Schiaparelli was armor, Bottega was ease. Both looks landed. That's the mark of someone who actually understands fashion rather than just consuming it — the ability to shift register completely and make both feel like a natural extension of the same person.
Zhao's Cannes wardrobe made the case that dressing for a major cultural moment doesn't require playing it safe — it requires knowing exactly what you're saying and committing to it, spikes and all.
Read the original at Harper's Bazaar.
