Couture on the Croisette: Fashion hits

Long known as a playground for the good and the glamorous of Hollywood, Susannah Frankel rounds up some of the best outfits from the 2012 Cannes Film Festival.

Cheryl Cole, Stephane Rolland

Extending her lashes to match the length of the feathers at the hem of her Stephane Rolland dress is an interesting exercise in co-ordinated dressing. Have her lips been varnished solid into that pout?

Kirsten Dunst, Dolce & Gabbana

Not many women can carry off a white lace dress and jewelled tiara. Kirsten Dunst cuts the mustard, though. The curvaceous silhouette makes this Dolce & Gabbana design anything but demure.

Jessica Chastain, Alexander McQueen

Chastain has the good sense, being a redhead, to wear a blush pink Alexander McQueen gown and the effect is as interesting as it is alluring.

Kristen Stewart, Balenciaga

It's rare for a red carpet gown to have fashion cred. This one's also slutty in the best possible way. As the face of the house's fragrance, Stewart might actually be contracted to wear it. Making her the luckiest woman on the circuit.

Frida Pinto, Versace

No label is more synonymous with red carpet glamour than Versace. With her raven hair and inky black gown, Pinto is every bit the siren. And check out those emerald earrings the size of boiled sweets.

Diane Kruger, Nina Ricci

Here's Diane Kruger, the face that launched 1,000 ships, looking like she might just pull it off again. She's wearing Nina Ricci by Peter Copping, which is as perfectly French as it is just plain perfect.

Tilda Swinton, Haider Ackermann

Seeing Swinton in this beautifully draped golden look raises the question: is she actually the most fashionable woman in the world? Quite possibly.

Natasha Poly, Gucci

Natasha Poly wins this year's award for the woman foxy enough to carry off emerald green. She looks devastating in this Gucci gown, which has the plunging-to-the-navel, split-to-the-thigh effect this name at its best is known for.