Meet DJ Kiddy Smile Who Broke Cannes Red Carpet Dress Code in a Fierce Way

Parisian producer/DJ Kiddy Smile is making headlines for fearlessly breaking the strict dress code at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. He explains why and how he pulled it off in a “Vogue” interview.

The Cannes Film Festival, founded in 1946, has a reputation for being one of the most prestigious red carpet events in the world, but more celebrities are challenging its strict, sometimes unwritten dress code.

This year, it was Smile who stole the show, not only because he didn’t try to be subtle with his rebellion, but also because he pulled it off twice.

'I don’t fit sample sizes unless I ask in advance, and I was very, very nervous because of the protocol.'

According to Vogue, Cannes’ archaic dress code requires that men wear tuxedos with bow ties while women pair their evening dresses with heels, but Smile was in a world of his own.

The producer/DJ showed up to the screening of Mati Diop’s “Atlantics” in a glittering jumpsuit featuring flared trousers and a plunging sheer neckline.

He accessorized with black shoes, a pair of beaded earrings, and sepia-tinted shades that matched his hair color.

Smile, who was billed to DJ at an after-party, told “Vogue” that he made the outfit himself.

“The night before, I actually didn’t sleep because I was sewing my outfit. I was very nervous because I’m not very good at tailoring and sewing, but I had no choice—I don’t fit sample sizes unless I ask in advance, and I was very, very nervous because of the protocol.”

The popular DJ eventually posed up a storm on the red carpet, but he revealed that getting there was somewhat credited to luck.

Celebrities like Smile and actress Kristen Stewart continue to push the envelope and advocate for change.

The only thing that stopped Smile from getting turned back at the entrance was a photographer screaming for him to step forward and have his picture taken.

“The festival didn’t say anything because it was daytime and it was very early in the red carpet lineup,” he added.

Smile’s second day didn’t go so smoothly, however. For the premiere for “Dolor y Gloria,” the entertainer went all out in a brightly-colored floral tiered dress with a plunging neckline and gold jewelry.

Smile said one of the gatekeepers asked if he was wearing a traditional outfit, and when he told him it wasn’t, the gatekeeper denied him entrance onto the red carpet.

It wasn’t until a superior female official came and asked that Smile be let through that the DJ finally made his red carpet appearance.

The Cannes film festival has come under intense scrutiny in recent years for its old-school dress code, and celebrities like Smile and actress Kristen Stewart (who took off her heels on the red carpet last year) continue to push the envelope and advocate for change.