Voila<\/em>! The 2026 Cannes Film Festival has officially kicked off in France today. Over the next two weeks, Hollywood royalty will descend upon the Croisette for the glamorous affair\u2014premiering a variety of films alongside the scenic Mediterranean views. Even better yet? The striking designer red carpet looks that come along with it: The festival, after all, has a history of delivering memorable outfits, whether stars are posing on the official step and repeat<\/a>, or serving off-duty<\/a> fashions coming to and from the airport.<\/p>\n In honor of this year\u2019s event, then, we pondered: What did the Cannes carpet look like 20 years ago? A quick flashback to 2006 uncovered some standout red carpet moments that are worth bringing back. I mean, which other Cannes year had Beyonc\u00e9 striking dramatic, Dreamgirls<\/em>-worthy poses on the beach? Or Avril Lavigne arriving in striped pop-punk couture?<\/p>\n Michelle Yeoh in 2006.<\/p>\n <\/span>Photo: Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n In the early-aughts, the Cannes carpet revolved around all things glitz and glamour: Formal evening attire\u2014almost rigidly so\u2014was the name of the game. The 2006 Cannes still had an extremely strict dress code<\/a>, after all: Attendees had to adhere to rules such as no flat shoes for women, and mandatory dinner jackets for men. As a result, many of the A-list guests leaned into the expected red carpet standards: Sweeping gowns and tailored tuxedos dominated the space.<\/p>\n![\"Image](\"https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/6a033d29f1ebf75a106ee4fa\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/GettyImages-57636007.jpg\"\/)
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