Emma Watson Raises the Cannes Airport Outfit Bar in a Chanel Dress and Ballet Pumps

She's trading sweatpants and sneakers for designer pieces.

Emma Watson arrives at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival at the airport wearing Chanel
(Image credit: Getty Images)

For her return to the Cannes Film Festival after a decade-plus hiatus, Emma Watson was never going to go the casual route—even with her airport outfit.

Watson touched down at the Nice Airport for her first Cannes appearance since 2013 (when The Bling Ring premiered) ready to make the Arrivals floor her runway. She swapped sweatpants and trendy sneakers typically seen in transit for a Chanel dress plucked from its Resort 2025 collection.

Originally, her dress had been styled like a beachside brunch outfit with nothing but chunky white flip-flops. But Watson, who's crisscrossed the globe for movie premieres since her pre-teen years, knew that wouldn't fly on the airplane. Her solution: layering a chic black collarless jacket over the top of her eyelet florals.

Emma Watson arrives at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival wearing a Chanel dress and ballet pumps

Emma Watson arrived at the Cannes airport wearing an embroidered Chanel dress underneath a black collarless jacket.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

a model on the Cannes Resort runway wearing a Chanel floral dress

Watson's Chanel dress first appeared on the Resort 2025 runway.

(Image credit: Launchmetrics)

Watson was already thinking about the Cannes dress code's demand for "elegant" footwear when she accessorized. A pair of black Aeyde ballet pumps accompanied her Chanel dress, creating a prim-and-proper effect without the pitch of a true high heel. Black Wayfarer sunglasses that could combat the cameras finished off her decidedly polished airport outfit.

Emma Watson arrives at the Cannes airport wearing a Chanel dress

Watson paired the dress with equally demure ballet pumps and black Ray-Ban sunglasses.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Each May, Cannes airport outfits are the unofficial kickoff to a given star's sojourn in the French Riviera—and provide hints at what celebs will wear on the official red carpet. Most guests have lucrative brand deals dictating who they wear: Daisy Edgar-Jones and Dakota Johnson are Gucci girls, while Zoe Saldaña is in a committed relationship with Saint Laurent.

Emma Watson's look might not be the only Chanel dress fans see her wear on her visit. But no matter which designer is her date to the Croisette later this week, her elegant style is a shoe-in for the best-dressed list.

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Halie LeSavage
Senior Fashion & Beauty News Editor

Halie LeSavage is the senior fashion and beauty news editor at Marie Claire. She is an expert on runway trends, celebrity style, and emerging brands. In 8+ years as a journalist, Halie’s reporting has ranged from profiles on insiders like celebrity stylist Molly Dickson, to breaking brand collaboration news. She covers events like the Met Gala every year, and gets exclusive insight into red carpet looks through her column, The Close-Up.

Previously, Halie reported at Glamour, Morning Brew, and Harper’s Bazaar. She has been cited as a fashion and beauty expert in The Cut, CNN Underscored, and Reuters. In 2022, she earned the Hearst Spotlight Award for excellence and innovation in fashion journalism. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Harvard College.