This Unexpected Shape Won Neckline of the Year at Cannes 2025

What a range this year: Anderson went playful, Ducournau feral, and the Dardennes quietly devastating. The red carpet, too, told an equally compelling story. But how could a star make a mark without nudity, XXL trains, or exhibitionism? By showing up in an uncommon cut—and twinning with half the Croisette. Meet the convex neckline.

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Convex Cut, Defined

Suddenly, we’re back in middle school geometry. The convex neckline (also called the ‘inverted scoop’) takes the curvy plunging neckline we’ve seen a thousand times and reverses it, forming a clean downward arc. 

Less overt than a deep V, more sculptural than a sweetheart, it frames the décolletage like a dream. It’s structured without being severe, sensual without excess.

It surfaced again and again on the Croisette. Thai star Nuttanicha Dungwattanawich (Nychaa) floated by with sweeping sleeves. Chinese actress Gao Yuanyuan shimmered in starlit blue, while Eva Longoria took the gilded route. Jennifer Lawrence’s pleated silk taffeta delivered Dior minimalism. Then, Ariana Greenblatt cracked the code with a sculpted green Louis Vuitton. 

Each look was different, but the necklines spoke in chorus.

The Cut Beyond Cannes

It’s not a Cannes fad. While it hasn’t reached the status of the off-shoulder or halter, we see its growing rise on runways and RTWs.

It’s a bridal favorite at Hamda Alfahim. Georges Hobeika adds shimmer to it (it’s what Gao wore to Cannes), and Margiela’s Artisanal S/S17 sculpted the cut out of a blazer. Even Khaite’s minimal loyalists are slipping into versions with this same curve.

It’s not loud, not clingy, not desperate to be noticed—exactly why we love it. It’s also a cut that gives you enough: a curve that opens the chest, relaxes the frame, and gives the illusion of effortless. The wedding Pinterest board you made at sixteen could use another idea.

Photos: GEORGES CHAKRA, SASHA WANG, EVA LONGORIA, GREGORY RUSSELL (via Instagram), GEORGES HOBEIKA, KHAITE, IGNANT (via website)