Rihanna Makes Her 2025 Cannes Film Festival Debut—Fashionably Late, in a Cut-Out Alaïa Dress

Emphasis on the word "fashionable."

A$AP Rocky, Rihanna at the "Highest 2 Lowest" Premiere during The 78th Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 19, 2025 in Cannes, France.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

In the media space, it's a widely-known fact that Rihanna is always one of the last to arrive on any given red carpet. At this year's Met Gala, for example, she made her pregnancy announcement before the event started, but didn't ascend the museum steps until several hours later. In 2023, she was also the last to arrive, changing three times before allowing red carpet coverage to wrap.

Of course, Rihanna's tendency for tardiness extends well beyond the first Monday in May. So when it came time for the annual 2025 Cannes Film Festival, she didn't make her debut until the 12-day event was nearly half over—as predicted.

The film-focused festivities kicked off on Tuesday, May 13 with an A-list opening ceremony, attended by celebs like Eva Longoria, Heidi Klum, Julia Garner, and Cannes royalty, Bella Hadid. Rihanna, however, was nowhere in sight.

Almost a full week later, the "Diamonds" singer finally made an appearance. She arrived hand-in-hand with the father of her (soon to be) three children, A$AP Rocky, whose outfit was unusually simplistic. He sported a simple black suit and tie—assuredly a choice designed to let Rihanna "shine bright," like her song says.

A$AP Rocky, Rihanna at the "Highest 2 Lowest" Premiere during The 78th Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 19, 2025 in Cannes, France.

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky attend the 2025 Cannes Film Festival on May 19.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

And shine she did. Like a "light in the beautiful sea," she wore a vibrant turquoise blue gown—custom Alaïa—that clashed magnificently with the crimson carpet below her feet. The number featured a mock turtleneck, several voluminous bows, and cut-out details that highlighted her pregnant belly.

A$AP Rocky, Rihanna at the "Highest 2 Lowest" Premiere during The 78th Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 19, 2025 in Cannes, France.

Rihanna wore a turquoise cut-out dress and matching high heels.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Her hair was done up in prom-style curls and the pop star accessorized for the same occasion. She wore strappy high-heeled sandals in the same hue and several pieces of fine jewelry designed by Boucheron. (Namely: diamond earrings and several large, aqua-colored cocktail rings.)

A$AP Rocky, Rihanna at the "Highest 2 Lowest" Premiere during The 78th Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 19, 2025 in Cannes, France.

The singer wore diamonds from Boucheron, which added an element of glitz to her breezy look.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

She truly puts the "fashionable" in "fashionably late."

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Kelsey Stiegman
Contributor

Kelsey (she/her) is a freelance fashion editor and writer, specializing in e-commerce and fashion news. With more than ten years of experience in digital media, Kelsey has a knack for turning top-performing content into top-selling content. At Marie Claire, she provides witty celeb style commentary, unpacking the style choices of stars like Zoë KravitzDua LipaSelena Gomez, and her fashion superhero, Rihanna. When she’s not tracking the personal style of Hollywood’s elite, Kelsey also covers designer collabs and industry news.

Before taking her talents to Marie Claire, Kelsey was the Senior Fashion Editor at Bustle, where she oversaw the site’s fashion coverage and launched a successful luxury handbag series called Secure The Bag. Prior to Bustle, she came from a six-year stint at Seventeen, during which she managed the team’s fashion and beauty verticals and led e-commerce strategy. In her freelance era, Kelsey contributes to publications like InStyle, CosmopolitanGlamour, and more. She also offers consulting services and content creation, in addition to writing and editing. Follow @klstieg on Instagram for 'fit pics and travel recommendations.