Every year without fail, the Cannes Film Festival sees Hollywood’s finest descend upon La Croisette to premiere and promote their latest projects. But while the actors tend to draw the most attention on the red carpet, they’re not always the very best dressed. Director Chloé Zhao proved as much this week, giving any top-tier performer a run for their money with her cool, distinctive wardrobe.

Zhao—whose films Hamnet and Nomadland led to Oscar wins for Jessie Buckley and Frances McDormand, respectively—is a member of the Cannes jury this year, so it’s only natural that she’s brought a striking array of looks to the festival.

“This is one of the very few times that I’m at a festival not representing a film, so there’s a lot of freedom for me to have fun—there’s less pressure,” Zhao tells Vogue. It’s just that sense of play that will be informing her wardrobe over the next two weeks. “I wanted to have fun and be playful, and a little messy—not follow any rules,” she adds.

Impressively enough, Zhao has forgone working with a stylist for this year’s Cannes—opting instead to collaborate directly with brands or designers with whom she has an existing relationship. “They showed me some lookbooks, and I just picked [looks] that made me feel excited,” Zhao says. “To me, its a very instinctual thing—kind of like choosing things on set. It just feels right, even if it doesn’t make sense. There’s a physical feeling about it.”

Upon her arrival in France earlier this week, the director walked off the tarmac in a red, long-sleeved knit dress from Gabriela Hearst’s fall 2025 collection—a casual, cool piece that still felt put-together. Later, for the official jury photo call, she changed into a navy knit top and skirt set from Hermès’s spring 2026 collection, finished with strappy sandals. “I wanted to mix things that were comfortable, but also [carve] out time for some wild rides,” says Zhao.