As the 2026 Cannes Film Festival unfolds along the Croisette, Middle Eastern designers are making a strong showing across the red carpet and festival circuit. Lebanese couture remains a Cannes mainstay, while Saudi and Emirati labels are continuing to build visibility through high-profile placements on actresses, models and international style figures.
From Elie Saab and Zuhair Murad to Ashi Studio, Waad Aloqaili, Garami Signature and regional fine jewellery names, this year’s appearances reflect the breadth of Middle Eastern design on a global stage. Here are the regional designers spotted at Cannes 2026 so far.
Lebanese Designers
Nada Baeshen in Georges Hobeika
Saudi media personality Nada Baeshen marked her second year at the Cannes Film Festival in Georges Hobeika, bringing the iconic Lebanese couture name into the festival’s regional fashion story.
Heidi Klum in Elie Saab
Few designers understand the Cannes red carpet quite like Elie Saab, and Heidi Klum’s opening ceremony look was a reminder of why. The model arrived in a sweeping peach-toned couture gown from the Lebanese house, cut with a plunging neckline, a sculpted floral detail at the hip and a dramatic train that trailed behind her with every step. Romantic without feeling delicate, the look carried Saab’s unmistakable red-carpet language, high-impact, feminine and made for flashbulbs.
Dilan Çiçek Deniz in Zuhair Murad
Zuhair Murad brought a softer, sea-glass glamour to Cannes through Turkish actress Dilan Çiçek Deniz, who wore a satin mermaid gown in pale green. The off-the-shoulder neckline and fluid draping framed the body with a sense of ease, while the fitted silhouette gave the look its red-carpet authority. It was classic Murad in its sense of occasion, but tempered through a cooler palette that felt particularly right for the Riviera.
Aditi Rao Hydari in Tony Ward Couture
For her Cannes appearance, Aditi Rao Hydari turned to Tony Ward Couture in a vivid lime-green silk charmeuse gown. The asymmetrical neckline, cut-out waist and high slit brought movement and energy to the carpet, while the draping softened the look just enough to keep it fluid. Ward’s couture often finds strength in construction, and here that precision came through in a dress that felt bold, clean and made for a star who knows how to let a silhouette speak.
Laila Ahmed Zaher in Rami Kadi
Egyptian actress Laila Ahmed Zaher stepped out in Rami Kadi Couture, wearing an ivory gown with a structured bateau neckline, long sleeves and a feathered hem that softened into blush pink, a subtle nod to her baby girl reveal. The look carried a sense of occasion without feeling overworked, balancing clean structure with softer detail at the skirt. It was a memorable Cannes outing from Kadi, thoughtful in its storytelling and elegant in every finish.
Jennifer Azar in Nicolas Jebran
Jennifer Azar opted for a pristine white gown by Nicolas Jebran, allowing silhouette rather than embellishment to take the lead. Jebran is often associated with drama, but this look showed another side of the Lebanese designer’s vocabulary, think restrained, statuesque and commanding.
Maya Aboul Hosn in Nicolas Jebran
Also wearing Nicolas Jebran, Maya Aboul Hosn took a more overtly glamorous route in a crystal-covered red gown that seemed to echo the carpet beneath her feet. The dress was unapologetically visual, shimmering with every shift in light and delivering the kind of high-voltage impact Cannes was built for. It was a look rooted in classic red-carpet theatre, with Jebran leaning fully into colour, shine and showmanship.
Saudi Arabian Designers
Maika Monroe in Ashi Studio
Saudi couturier Mohammed Ashi continued his rise on the international stage as Maika Monroe appeared in a silver sequinned Ashi Studio gown. The look balanced metallic shimmer with the house’s signature sculptural restraint, creating a silhouette that felt sharp rather than overly ornamental. Ashi has become one of the region’s most globally recognised couture names, and this appearance reinforced the strength of his red-carpet positioning: modern, architectural and impossible to ignore.
Huma Qureshi in Eman Alajlan
At the premiere of Hope, Huma Qureshi wore a black gown by Saudi designer Eman Alajlan. With its fitted velvet bodice, sheer detailing, cinched waist and sweeping train, the dress drew on old-Hollywood codes while maintaining a clear sense of contemporary design.
Sara Sampaio in Waad Aloqaili Couture
Sara Sampaio made an entrance in custom Waad Aloqaili Couture, wearing a sculpted strapless gown adorned with intricate, shell-like embellishment. The surface work gave the dress depth and luminosity, while the sharply structured bodice anchored it with couture precision.
UAE Designers
Caterina Ciorba in Garami Signature
Emirati designer Hamad Jasem brought Garami Signature to Cannes through Caterina Ciorba, who wore an opulent embroidered gown rich in metallic detailing and sculptural construction. The bustier silhouette and baroque-inspired embellishment gave the look an almost ceremonial quality, placing Emirati couture within the festival’s wider fashion conversation. It was intricate, maximal and deliberately theatrical, an outing that ensured the label was seen.
Nour Ghandour in LYLA K Fine Jewellery
Founded by Creative Director Layla Kubba, LYLA K made an international appearance as actress and style figure Nour Ghandour wore the house’s fine jewellery creations during the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. Known for its sculptural silhouettes, celestial symbolism and contemporary approach to fine jewellery, LYLA K continues to establish itself as a rising voice within the region’s luxury landscape. For Cannes, Nour Ghandour wore a selection of the house’s signature pieces, including the Astral Path Bangle and sapphire and diamond drop earrings, reflecting the brand’s refined balance between architectural precision and luminous femininity.
