Before we even get into who cleaned up and who got cooked, we have to start with John Travolta’s hat. The 72-year-old legend showed up at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival in full director mode, rocking berets like he was trying to do his best impression of the French New Wave. It made sense though: Travolta was at Cannes with his directorial debut, Propeller One-Way Night Coach, and GQ noted that he paired one ivory wool beret with round frames and a black three-piece suit after receiving an honorary Palme d’Or.
That is the beauty of Cannes though. The festival has been one of the most prestigious gatherings in cinema since its first proper edition in 1946, and every year it turns the French Riviera into a mix of serious film business, old-school Hollywood glamour and red-carper theater. The 79th edition runs from May 12-23, 2026, with Park Chan-wook serving as jury president and set to help award the Palme d’Or on May 23.
And while Cannes is not always as wild as the Met Gala, the men came with enough personality this year to keep the timeline engaged. Some stuck to polished tailoring, some played with color, some leaned into dad-core, and some looked like they were dressed for a different event entirely. We’ll let you decide who was really best or worst dressed — but these are the men who Cannes looks had people talking.
BEST & WORST DRESSED MEN AT CANNES
Colman Domingo
Colman Domingo continued his “best dressed man alive” campaign in a dramatic custom purple Valentino look with sequins, a built-in back cape and a Boucheron brooch. Cannes may be formal, but Colman knows how to make formal feel like a main event.
John Travolta
Travolta’s beret era was the biggest menswear conversation of Cannes, and social media definitely had jokes ready. But whether people loved it or laughed at it, the man committed to the bit, and that alone made it unforgettable.
Harris Dickinson
Harris Dickinson switched things up in a brown double-breasted Balenciaga suit at the Kering Women in Motion Awards. It was clean, grown and just different enough to stand out without screaming for attention.
Jordan Firstman
Jordan Firstman’s slogan tees were pure internet chaos, including one that read, “I boofed at Canned and all I got was this lousy shirt.” Depending on who you ask, it was either hilarious self-promotion or way too unserious for Cannes.
Miles Teller
Miles Teller hit the Paper Tiger photo call in a Zegna knit polo-and-trouser set in a pea-soup green shade. That could have gone left fast, but it landed as easy Riviera style instead of “uncle on vacation.”
Quentin Dupieux
Quentin Dupieux hit the carpet in a rumpled look with drawstring trousers, an open denim shirt and Asics sneakers. GQ called it a “très French-dad look,” which is a polite way of saying the man looked comfortable, at least.
Diego Calva
Diego Calva wore Isabel Marant to the Club Kid photo call, pairing a charcoal shirt with pleated trousers. It had that relaxed-but-still-expensive energy that works perfectly at Cannes.
Steven Soderbergh
Steven Soderbergh pulled up in a stone-gray suit and black Adidas Sambas after the premiere of John Lennon: The Last Interview. The suit was fine, but the sneakers gave off “I had to be here, but my feet didn’t” energy, which is always going to split the room at Cannes.
Park Chan-wook
Park Chan-wook wore a full Saint Laurent look to the Kering Women in Motion Awards, keeping things sharp with a double-breasted tuxedo and derby loafers. As jury president, he dressed like someone who understood he was judging more than just movies that week.
