From silent protests to fashion-forward choices, flat shoes are no longer red carpet faux pas — they’re becoming the footwear of the moment. As the Cannes Film Festival, long known for its unspoken high-heel expectations, begins to embrace more grounded styles, celebrities are proving that elegance doesn’t have to come with a stiletto. The flat shoe is stepping into the spotlight, and it’s rewriting decades of fashion orthodoxy along the way.
A rebellion rooted in resistance
It started with a quiet protest. In 2015, the Cannes Film Festival came under fire after a group of women were allegedly denied entry to a screening for wearing flat shoes. The backlash was immediate and fierce, spawning the social media protest #flatgate and igniting conversations around gendered dress codes and their outdated expectations. While organizers, including Thierry Frémaux, insisted no high-heel rule existed, the message was clear: women were expected to dress a certain way, even if it meant discomfort.
Celebrities took notice. Julia Roberts walked barefoot up the Cannes red carpet in 2016, a powerful visual rejection of the norm. Kirsten Stewart followed in 2018, deliberately removing her stilettos in front of photographers. And in 2023, Jennifer Lawrence, whether intentionally or not, made headlines again when she revealed simple black flip-flops beneath her Dior haute couture gown. The festival has since softened its stance, officially permitting elegant footwear “with or without a heel,” but the real transformation has come from the stars themselves — women choosing comfort without sacrificing sophistication.
From taboo to trend
In 2024, flat shoes aren’t just allowed at Cannes — they’re thriving. Jane Fonda turned heads in silver Margaux Mary Janes. Margaret Qualley stepped onto the Croisette in sequined Chanel ballet flats. Directors Alice Rohrwacher and Molly Manning Walker opted for stylish Prada loafers, while Spanish actor Llúcia Garcia wore black lace-up ballet flats with grace and poise. What was once a protest is now a style statement, and red carpets across the world are starting to reflect a broader, more inclusive idea of elegance.
Flat shoes have long carried the stigma of being too casual or lacking glamour. In pop culture, they’re often portrayed as signs of decline — in Barbie, Margot Robbie’s transformation begins when her heels drop to the ground, shocking the other dolls. In And Just Like That…, Carrie Bradshaw’s greatest post-surgery fear isn’t mobility — it’s being unable to wear her beloved stilettos. These narratives reinforced the idea that beauty must come with discomfort. But celebrities today are challenging that idea, not only by wearing flats but by doing so with intention and style.
The fashion world follows suit
Off the red carpet, the trend is catching fire. According to Pinterest Trends, searches for “ballet flats” in the U.S. were up by 190% in May 2024 compared to the previous year. Google Trends also saw a surge in interest for “Mary Janes,” doubling from 2023. Flat footwear is no longer an afterthought — it’s a focal point.
Brands have responded accordingly. Tory Burch brought back the beloved Reva ballet flat at New York Fashion Week in September 2024, a shoe that once defined the early 2000s. Alaïa’s rhinestone-studded Mary Jane flats, originally released in 2022, still ranked among Lyst’s hottest products last year. And Sandy Liang’s satin Pointe shoes, which first launched in 2022, sold out within days. Even Miu Miu, a brand known for its high-fashion sensibility, currently offers over a dozen flat shoe styles, ranging from $875 to $1,790 — proving that flats can be just as aspirational as any heel.
A new generation of style and comfort
The flat shoe resurgence isn’t just about fashion — it’s cultural. As younger generations grow up in a world where workwear is flexible, office dress codes are more relaxed, and comfort is prioritized, the high heel no longer holds the same symbolic power. “When I first started out as a fashion editor in 2008, you wore heels to work,” said fashion journalist Mosha Lundström Halbert. “Now, it’s more socially acceptable to wear something that previously would have been viewed as quite casual.”
Lundström Halbert points out that spending habits have shifted too. “It’s probably easier for a lot of consumers to justify spending on a flat that they know they’re going to wear all summer long than it is a pair of stilettos that are really only for select occasions.” In other words, practicality is chic. And while red carpet glamour still matters, the definition of what qualifies as glamorous is changing — one pair of ballet flats at a time.
Breaking free from pageantry
In an age where every image is dissected on social media and every outfit tells a story, the symbolism behind flat shoes is increasingly powerful. “There’s something about a flat shoe that breaks free from the pageantry of it all,” said Lundström Halbert. “It’s refreshing.” Flat footwear represents autonomy, ease, and confidence — a move away from outdated expectations and toward a fashion language that prioritizes individual expression.
The Cannes Film Festival, with its storied history and rigid traditions, has often represented the peak of red carpet formality. That flats have found a home there signals something bigger: a shift in how we understand style, beauty, and power. Whether it’s Margaux Mary Janes or rhinestone-encrusted Prada loafers, today’s flats are not only accepted — they’re celebrated. As women continue to redefine what it means to dress up, the flat shoe is no longer an exception. It’s the new rule. And in that quiet revolution, there’s nothing low about being flat.
