Jane Fonda might not consider herself a fashion icon, but her crazy-chic appearances at Cannes suggest otherwise. We caught up with the 77-year-old’s stylist, Tanya Gill, to hear more about the star’s busy (and glamorous!) week at the film festival.
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Some of the looks, like the Schiaparelli Haute Couture gown, above, have been in the works for months. “Everything was custom. I met all the dresses here. I met all the teams here. They brought them all,” Gill tells PEOPLE. “All the necessary pre-work was done between Milan, Paris, New York, everywhere. So their couturiers all came here for Jane. It’s been an incredible production.”
It’s a process that comes “very natural” to Gill, which she credits to the fact that Fonda knows exactly what her body looks good in. “I think there are a lot of actresses—and it’s wonderful, they can try every kind of designer and every kind of silhouette, but there’s something very strong and powerful about really knowing your own style and sticking with it,” says the stylist.
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That formula includes long sleeves, floor-length cuts, and anything that emphasizes Fonda’s “bum.” “She likes to cover her arms, she has beautiful arms, but she prefers to cover them,” reveals Gill. Which is not to say the actress doesn’t take any fashion risks. “We’ve also played around with cutouts a lot lately.”
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Another staple that’s not quite as obvious? Comfortable shoes. (Just, you know, not flats because restrictions.) “Why risk toppling over in 5-inch platform heels?” says Gill. “We always do a 2-inch kitten heel. You can’t always tell because often the dresses or jumpsuits are long, and she’s got long legs. You would think that she’s wearing 4-inch heels.”
Which one of Fonda’s looks from Cannes is your favorite? Sound off in the comments below!
–Lindsay Schallon
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