CANNES FILM FESTIVAL

Elle Fanning’s Cannes Dress Took 10 People 300 Hours to Make

Elle Fanning wore a Vivienne Westwood unicorn gown on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday, after much labor by others.

by Erika Stalder

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Elle Fanning has just stepped out in a unicorn-emblazoned gown at Cannes. According to Vogue, the actress isn’t just pushing the seemingly omnipresent unicorn trend forward by just wearing the dress, she personally spearheaded the unicorn’s red carpet debut by suggesting the creature be added to the gown when collaborating with designer Vivienne Westwood. The corseted, strapless number—which took a team of 10 over 300 hours to create, according to Vogue—also features Fanning’s own name inside Saturn and next to a shooting star hand painted in washes of black and pink on its train.

Though the dress is a take on the designer’s famed Bird of Paradise dress from its spring 2005 collection, Fanning is making it entirely her own with fairy princess vibes. Those closely studying the gown might also pick up on similarities with Angelina Jolie’s wedding gown, which was famously doodled on by her children. Fanning’s gown, however, stands out also for the beauty look she paired with it: a classic winged liner in inky black and bright pink lips that match the palette of the painting.

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For a magical creature not seen since well, maybe never, unicorns have become damned near impossible to miss as of late. The trend started a few years back, with unicorn hair in both vivid and pastel renditions. Then came the sparkly, rainbow-hued makeup, like nail polish, liquid lipstick and highlighters (and yes, those tooth achingly-sweet drinks).

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Certainly, not everyone is on board with the unicorn-ization of everything everywhere, but we’re with Fanning’s embrace of her dress. (As she should, after all that labor by others.) The actress took to Instagram to thank the designer, dubbing the dress a “mystical galactic creation of a gown” and “the most incredible magical dress.”

Related: Elle Fanning Joins Thylane Blondeau, Maria Borges, as the New Face of L’Oréal Paris

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Bella Hadid, Jessica Chastain, and Elle Fanning Lead the Charge at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival

Bella Hadid in Alexandre Vauthier and Bulgari at the premiere of Ismael’s Ghosts opening the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Jessica Chastain in Alexander McQueen at the premiere of Ismael’s Ghosts opening the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Marion Cotillard at the premiere of Ismael’s Ghosts opening the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Robin Wright in Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello at the premiere of Ismael’s Ghosts opening the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Julianne Moore in Givenchy couture at the premiere of Ismael’s Ghosts opening the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Lily-Rose Depp in Chanel at the premiere of Ismael’s Ghosts opening the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Uma Thurman in Atelier Versace and Bulgari at the premiere of Ismael’s Ghosts opening the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Marion Cotillard in Y/Project at the photocall for Ismael’s Ghost at the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Elle Fanning in custom Vivienne Westwood at the premiere of Ismael’s Ghosts opening the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Aymeline Valade in Pallas at the premiere of Ismael’s Ghosts opening the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Susan Sarandon in Alberta Ferretti at the premiere of Ismael’s Ghosts opening the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Naomie Harris in Gucci at the premiere of Ismael’s Ghosts opening the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Jessica Chastain in Roksanda at the jury photocall at the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Fan Bingbing in Elie Saab couture at the premiere of Ismael’s Ghosts opening the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Director Maren Ade at the premiere of Ismael’s Ghosts opening the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Charlotte Gainsbourg, center, in Saint Laurent at the premiere of Ismael’s Ghosts opening the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Hailey Baldwin in custom Twinset at the premiere of Ismael’s Ghosts opening the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Daria Strokous in Dior at the premiere of Ismael’s Ghosts opening the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Emily Ratajkowski in custom Twinset and Bulgari at the premiere of Ismael’s Ghosts opening the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Sara Sampaio in Zuhair Murad couture at the premiere of Ismael’s Ghosts opening the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Eva Herzigova in custom Roberto Cavalli at the premiere of Ismael’s Ghosts opening the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Uma Thurman in Giuseppe Zanotti ready-to-wear and Tod’s at the premiere of Loveless at the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Julianne Moore in Chanel couture at the premiere of Wonderstruck at the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Amber Valletta in Mulberry at the premiere of Wonderstruck at the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Elle Fanning in Temperley London at the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Adriana Lima in Naeem Khan bridal at the premiere of Loveless at the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Emily Ratajkowski in Brock Collection at the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Michelle Williams in Louis Vuitton at the premiere of Wonderstruck at the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Thylane Blondeau in Michael Kors Collection at the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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Sara Sampaio at the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.

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