Aishwarya Rai Bachchan sashayed down the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival for the 15th year in a row on May 13, resplendent in a golden sequin-studded champagne gown by Ali Younes paired with a delicate golden belt and a matching floor length cape. While the attire and styling made for quite a talking point in international fashion circles, evoking mixed reactions, there was another talking point that has quickly become a burning subject of speculation: A possible baby bump.
For celebrity stylist Rishi Raj, Ash’s look was a major disappointment. Asserting the importance of taking a second look before you step out, Rishi quotes Coco Chanel. “A dress should enhance and hold on to your body as if it’s your second skin. The cut and the silhouette didn’t enhance Ash’s body or her ‘bump’. I think there is a possibility that the outfit was a last-minute change. But kudos to her… she carried it off anyway,” he says and adds, “Fashion is architecture; it is a matter of proportions. And this outfit didn’t do justice to her, her beauty or her body.”
Designer Rahul Mishra agrees and points out that with better customisation, it might have really worked: “I personally feel that for someone as beautiful as her, the outfit should not only complement but enhance the beauty she already possesses. And here, the outfit doesn’t do much for her personality. I thought she could have experimented a bit more — some of her previous Cannes appearances have been much better.”
On the other hand, Ash’s radiant beauty and style choice are getting the thumbs up too from designers such as Poonam Bhagat and Urvashi Kaur. Bhagat affirms, “I loved the delicate shimmer on the blush canvas. Her belly could have been a little more controlled, however. I think a better fitted gown would have solved the issue and helped her steer clear of speculation too.”
Urvashi, states that there were no surprises and the attire was safe and typical to Ash’s style: “I can’t fault her as she is quite a pro when it comes to being on the red carpet at Cannes.”
