Aishwarya Rai Bachchan seems to be in the mood for some celebration. And why not? She 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. A dash of dark blue and turquoise on her eyes coupled with middle-parted hair styled in loose waves finished the look. 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.
Celebrity stylist Rishi Raj felt her look was a major disappointment. Rishi quotes Coco Chanel. “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off. Elegance does not consist of putting on a new dress. 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 am not saying she looked ugly, but I think there is a possibility that the Ali Younes outfit was a last minute change. But kudos to her… she carried it off anyway,” he says
Designer Rahul Mishra agrees and, while neutral about her choice of attire as something to be expected on a red carpet and therefore fairly safe, 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’m not even referring just to the choice of colour. Also, I don’t know how last minute this was,” he opines.
Designers Poonam Bhagat affirms, “She looked ethereal, ephemeral and fairytale like in the embellished Ali Younes Couture gown. 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. The overall look was glamorous and elegant.”
Urvashi, on her part, states that there were no surprises and the attire was safe and typical to Ash’s style, and bordering on the boring. She says, “I can’t fault her as she is quite a pro when it comes to being at the red carpet at Cannes. She’s a radiant beauty anyway, but it would be great to see her push the boundaries a
little.”
