22 May,2026 10:36 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Aishwarya Rai at Cannes 2026 (Pic/AFP)
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is a regular at Cannes Film Festival and is known for her iconic looks on the red carpet of the film festival. This year as well, she will be walking the ramp for a renowned beauty brand. While reports were rife that she might skip the film festival this year, she was seen jetting off to the French Riviera for the closing ceremony. And now, her first look in a dramatic blue gown is out.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan made a stunning appearance at the 2026 edition of the Cannes Film Festival in a custom couture ensemble by celebrated designer Amit Aggarwal. The actress embraced high-glamour fashion in a shimmering midnight-blue sculpted gown adorned with intricate metallic embellishments.
Amit Aggarwal designed Luminara, a couture creation centred around the idea of light in motion. The piece explores light not simply as illumination, but as energy, movement, and force; translated through sculptural construction and engineered craftsmanship.
At the core of the garment is Amit Aggarwal's signature Crystal Vein embroidery technique, developed over more than 1500 hours of meticulous handwork. Thousands of crystalline linear embellishments have been individually placed across the gown, held together through an intricate lattice-like structure that binds the crystal veins seamlessly across the body to create the effect of illuminated pathways moving across the body.
The dramatic outfit featured a plunging neckline. Adding extra drama to the look, Aishwarya carried a flowing satin cape that trailed elegantly behind her on the red carpet. She completed the ensemble with sparkling diamond jewellery.
In one of the videos, Aishwarya hugged and posed with Eva Longoria at the L'Oreal Paris red carpet. They shared a hearty laugh while having a chat.
On Thursday night, Aishwarya was seen arriving at the Mumbai airport for her flight to Cannes. The actress was accompanied by her daughter, Aaradhya Bachchan, as the two twinned in black. The mother-daughter duo posed for the paparazzi before walking towards the departure gate.
Aishwarya is walking the ramp for L'Oréal Paris, a brand she has been associated with for years. However, the opening ceremony was attended by Alia Bhatt for the same brand. When the brand unveiled its ambassadors at Cannes' Le Martinez Hotel with giant banner posters, fans noticed that Aishwarya's poster was absent, leading to backlash and outrage on the internet.
The brand had replied to certain harsh comments, saying, "A living legend, and she knows exactly what to do with that."
For the unversed, Aishwarya made her Cannes debut in 2002 alongside Shah Rukh Khan and filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali for the premiere of Devdas. The following year, the actress officially walked the red carpet as a L'Oreal Paris ambassador for the very first time.
