Photo Credits: Sanfrancesco Draghici
There are moments on the red carpet that transcend fashion and become cinematic in their own right — visual sonatas where couture, character, and craftsmanship coalesce. Such was the case at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where Stella Maxwell arrived in a custom creation by Cheney Chan, a look that embodied the poetic duality of strength and softness, serenity and spectacle.
Anchored in the brand’s signature “Feng Ya Qi” silhouette, the gown exemplified Cheney Chan’s architectural ethos — an almost meditative exploration of balance, proportion, and restraint. Sculptural contouring defined the bodice and waist, hugging Maxwell’s form with precision while maintaining an air of ethereal lightness. The foundational structure, so meticulously engineered, served not merely as a canvas but as a statement — one that speaks to Chan’s deep-rooted reverence for Eastern philosophy and modern minimalism.
Photo Credits: Getty Images
Yet it was in the gown’s surface detail where the narrative blossomed. Delicate, hand-embroidered florals, unfurling across the bodice and trailing into the skirt, evoked an image of nature awakening at dawn. Each bloom — rendered in shimmering threads of pale gold, opal, and blush — glimmered under the Croisette lights, casting a soft, enchanted glow as Maxwell ascended the Palais steps. The effect was not simply beautiful; it was transporting.
Moments before this sartorial unveiling, the atmosphere inside the Hotel Martinez was a world unto itself. Backstage, anticipation hummed like a low overture, and it was here that celebrated photographer Sanfrancesco Draghici captured the quiet poetry behind the glamour. His lens traced the intimate choreography of couture: the final clasp of a zipper, a whispered exchange between stylist and muse, the stillness of Maxwell before the storm of flashes. Draghici’s signature chiaroscuro tones rendered these scenes with cinematic intimacy, offering a rare portal into the ephemeral beauty of prelude.
Photo Credits: Sanfrancesco Draghici
Photo Credits: Sanfrancesco Draghici
Video Credits: Vincent Guanco for Cheney Chan
In a festival defined by cinematic storytelling, Cheney Chan’s creation told a story all its own — one of meticulous artistry, cultural resonance, and the transformative power of haute couture. With Stella Maxwell as its living canvas, and Draghici’s eye preserving its quiet genesis, this was not merely a look — it was a legacy moment.
Photo Credits: Sanfrancesco Draghici
Photo Credits: Sanfrancesco Draghici
